Scammer Caught Using Stolen Credit Card & Fake ID to Buy $85K Luxury Vehicle at Dealership

Incident Overview

On April 7, 2023, officers responded to a Ford dealership after employees reported a fraudulent vehicle purchase attempt.

The suspect was attempting to buy a Ford F-150 Raptor priced at approximately $85,000. Dealership staff became suspicious and stalled the sale after noticing multiple inconsistencies and suspected falsification involving the suspect’s identification and credit information.

Red Flags Identified by Dealership Staff

Staff reported the following concerns:

• False professional identity / backstory

  • The woman claimed she was a gynecologist, including an elaborate story about her work and living situation.
  • Her documents and stated details did not match.

• Inconsistencies in identification and credit application

  • Inconsistent date of birth
  • Conflicting statements about housing:
    • She claimed she owned her home outright
    • But evidence suggested a large mortgage
  • Discrepancies when cross-checking her identity

• Unusually strong credit profile

  • Her credit report appeared unusually strong, leading staff to believe she may have been using stolen credit.

• Phone/name lookup discrepancy

  • A lookup of her phone number/name reportedly connected to a different location, adding to the “red flags.”

• Suspected identity theft / forgery

  • Staff believed she was attempting to finance the vehicle using someone else’s identity, with documents appearing forged or mismatched.

Law Enforcement Response

Dealership employees deliberately delayed the transaction while contacting law enforcement, keeping her engaged until officers were called.

After police arrived, the woman was:

• Questioned, and
• Confronted with additional inconsistencies, including claims that her information should match her alleged employment/hospital credentials.

Officers also noted issues with her ability to provide or remember key professional identifiers (e.g., medical ID details) consistent with her statements.

Outcome

Officers determined the situation involved forgery and identity theft.

• The woman was arrested/charged accordingly.
• Officers stated they lacked enough verified identity information at the time and that her statements did not match the records and documents used to attempt the purchase.

Presenters / Contributors

• Officers, including:
  • An officer named Dominic
  • An officer named Anna
• Dealership staff / sales manager (unnamed)
• The suspect
  • Self-identified as a gynecologist
  • Referred to in questioning as Christine/Victoria Mendez (per the transcript)
• A referenced third party Chris/Lewis
  • Mentioned by dealership staff
  • Not present