DANIA BEACH, Fla. – A Broward family caught up in a scam is paying the price and making costly repairs after their car was severely vandalized on Wednesday.
“It’s awfully frustrating,” said Robert Vazquez. “We’re not rich.”
The scam appears to be a widespread problem, as Local 10 News has learned of several victims also caught up in the middle.
Vazquez said a few hours before his son’s car was vandalized with what appears to be a monkey wrench, two men knocked on his front door in Dania Beach.
They were looking for keys to the car, claiming they rented it online.
“The guy said ‘I was on Facebook and this car was for rent,’” recalled Vazquez. “‘We wanted to rent it. We gave a deposit of $250.’ My son said, ‘I’m sorry, but no, I’m not renting my car out. I have nothing to do with that.’”
As the conversation continued, they found his son’s Audi S4 was, in fact, posted on Facebook Marketplace — without their knowledge.
The two men left empty-handed, but two others returned a few hours later.
Surveillance video shows them looking at the car and checking the license plate.
Minutes later, one man grabs a monkey wrench and gets to work.
Local 10 News discovered the fake advertisement was still posted three days later.
“My son tried to get in touch with Facebook. Nothing,” said a frustrated Vazquez. “To tell them, ‘Get that out of there. You guys are becoming enablers for criminals to come over and post their crimes and you guys aren’t doing anything about it.’”
Just up the street in Dania Beach, Phyllis Urbine said she is dealing with the same exact problem.
She said she’s had total strangers walk up to her home at least seven different times in the past few days.
They tell her they’ve rented her Mercedes on Facebook Marketplace and that they are looking for a lockbox. Some had already paid the deposit.
“I say, ‘This is my car and it’s not for rent,’” said Urbine. “I don’t think they believe me.”
She said her neighbor has also been a victim of this scam and is worried this is getting out of hand after the situation now escalated to an apparently violent misunderstanding.
Broward Sheriff’s Office detectives are searching for the vandals but are also working different cases.
Local 10 News has reached out to Facebook/Meta for comment, as some of these false ads still remain online despite residents trying to get them removed.
The investigation is active and ongoing. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS.
If you have been a victim of fraud, report it to the Federal Trade Commission.