A man from Washington went viral on TikTok after exposing what he said was a scam involving a 2016 Camaro SS.
User @travv.ha, whose TikTok focuses on showing him “flippin cars,” shared the interaction with a seller he claims tried to deceive him.
In his video, @travv.ha warned others in the Washington area, specifically in Renton, not to buy a Camaro SS from the same seller.
“If you’re in Washington, don’t buy this Camaro from these guys. It’s rolled back 60K miles,” he said in the clip. “Run the Carfax when you buy a car, guys.” As of this writing, the video calling out the scam has amassed more than 450,600 views.
What Happened With the 2016 Chevrolet Camaro SS?
@travv.ha began recording once it became clear the seller was trying to scam him, so it’s unclear how they initially connected or exactly when he realized the car wasn’t as advertised.
In the caption of his post, he noted the Camaro SS had been listed online for $20,350 with a claimed mileage of just 60,000. At first, he thought it was a solid deal, especially since these cars usually sell for thousands more.
The twist came when @travv.ha discovered that the seller had allegedly rolled back the odometer from 114,000, meaning the car wasn’t nearly as pristine as it seemed. On top of that, running a Carfax revealed the Camaro had been in three accidents.
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“Be safe out there,” @travv.ha wrote in the caption of his video. “Don’t get scammed.”
Gallery: Chevrolet launches 2016 Camaro online configurator
How Do Carfax Reports Work?
A Carfax report can be a game-changer when buying a used car because it provides a complete view of the vehicle’s history, which is especially useful if, like @travv.ha, you want to avoid surprises.
These reports reveal everything from a vehicle’s ownership history and past accidents to title issues such as salvage or flood damage, maintenance and service records, previous owners, and even open recalls.
One of the biggest benefits of Carfax is uncovering hidden damage. According to Carfax’s website, a Carfax Vehicle History Report “can help uncover the hidden damage, showing when a vehicle was in an accident and an estimate of the severity of the crash.” With this information, the buyer can also see what repairs were made and whether they were handled properly.
Carfax also keeps records of service and maintenance, giving prospective buyers insight into whether the car has been well cared for. Additionally, it details ownership history, allowing you to see how many people have owned the vehicle—and whether frequent changes might indicate trouble. Open recalls are listed on the report, too, so you know if there are safety issues that haven’t been addressed.
Fraud protection is another key feature—something @travv.ha learned when he tried to buy the Camaro SS. Carfax can identify odometer discrepancies by tracking mileage from multiple sources. If a car’s odometer reading drops after a higher reading, the report flags it, helping you avoid potential odometer fraud.
It appears @travv.ha wasn’t the first to get scammed. Carfax’s research indicates that over two million vehicles on the road have rolled back odometers as of December, a 4% increase from the previous year and up 18.6% since 2021.
Finally, a Carfax report gives you an advantage when negotiating. Knowing a car’s accident history, maintenance record, and mileage history allows you to assess whether the price is fair and provides a factual basis for discussing adjustments with the seller.
Viewers Share Stories Of When They’ve Gotten Scammed
It turns out @travv.ha isn’t the only one who’s had a car deal that looked too good to be true. After his video blew up, other TikTok users flooded the comments section with their own horror stories about near-misses and full-on scams.
“This happened to me, bought a ’07 Honda Pilot with ‘60K miles,’ didn’t know anything about car faxing it until a month later, and found out it had 150k with a salvaged title,” one man recalled.
Another viewer chimed in with a similar experience, saying, “Yesterday, I went to see a Nissan 350z that had 21,000 miles manipulated that was reported in 2021, imagine now possibly has about 30,000 miles manipulated. Be careful, this Nissan 350Z is in Kent, W.A.”
“I bought my Camaro without checking anything, and it has rolled back miles and had an oil leakage,” another admitted.
Plenty of commenters echoed @travv.ha’s message about doing your homework before buying a used car.
“Who doesn’t run the Carfax or VIN when buying a car?” one person wrote.
“They almost got you,” another said.
A third added, “Don’t check out no car without checking Carfax.”
One more commenter simply reminded others, “Pre-purchase inspection.”
Motor1 has reached out to @travv.ha via TikTok direct message. This story will be updated should he respond.
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Source: 'This Happened to Me:' Man Tries to Buy 2016 Camaro SS for $20K. Then He Realizes It’s a ‘Scam’
