Single dad falls victim to Craigslist car sale scam by crook in Katy

Jessica Willey Image
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
Single father swindled by crook in Katy
Single father swindled by crook in KatyMark Morgan is warning others after he was swindled by a crook in Katy.

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A single dad is warning people about a man using Craiglist under the guise of selling a car, only to lure and then rob unsuspecting buyers.

Mark Morgan's sister loaned him $3,000 so that he could buy a car he saw on Craiglist.

The two met the seller at a Walmart in Katy last weekend, when the unthinkable happened.

Morgan says the deal was close to being done when the seller disappeared with their money.

"He fooled me good," Morgan told Eyewitness News. "He needs to go to jail."

The seller allegedly told Morgan he needed to take a look at the vehicle's VIN number, but never returned.

"When I went to go to look at the exact place it (the car) was parked, it was gone," Morgan said.

After the scam, Morgan reported the theft to the Harris County Sheriff's Office, which is now investigating the case.

He and his sister searched online and found he's one of several victims of this thief. Reports as recent as two weeks ago show him in New Mexico. Before then, in Nevada. He was using the same scam.

Eyewitness News is not identifying him because he has not been charged with a crime. Attempts to reach the seller were unsuccessful, and his phone was straight to voicemail.

"He needs to go to jail. I'm serious. There's too many people out here struggling," said Morgan. "I'm trying to help it to where he doesn't get someone else like that."

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