Someone in East Tennessee may have been using Facebook Marketplace as a storefront for stolen cars, and Crime Stoppers is now asking the public to help put a name to the person behind the alleged scheme. The warning comes with a potential reward of up to $2,000, but few details about the investigation have been made public.
East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers posted a video Monday asking whether anyone recognizes an individual connected to a vehicle scam involving stolen cars allegedly sold through Facebook Marketplace. The Crime Stoppers video says Tennessee law enforcement agencies are working to identify the person and encourages anonymous tips.
What Investigators Have Not Said Publicly
The public notice does not identify the person by name or say how many vehicles may be involved. It also does not identify a specific city, county, victim, case number, or agency handling the investigation, so readers should avoid treating online guesses as confirmed identification.
Why Marketplace Car Deals Can Turn Criminal
Tennessee officials have already warned that online vehicle sales can go sideways fast. In a March consumer alert, the Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance described fake cashier's checks and phony wire transfers that can leave a seller without both the car and the money.
The same alert also flags VIN swapping, fraudulent titles, odometer fraud and clean titles for salvage vehicles. Officials recommend checking a vehicle's title history, verifying that a seller or dealer is licensed, and waiting until payment has actually cleared before handing over the keys.
Recent Tennessee Case Had Familiar Warning Signs
The pattern is not purely theoretical. In February, Franklin police said a victim purchased a vehicle from a man after seeing it advertised on Facebook Marketplace, and that the vehicle was stolen, according to the City of Franklin.
That case, along with the broader state warning, is a reminder that a bargain is not proof of a clean title. A seller who rushes the deal, refuses an independent history check, or cannot match their identification to the paperwork is offering red flags, not a shortcut.
How To Share Information
Anyone who recognizes the person should send information through East Tennessee Valley Crime Stoppers' anonymous channels rather than confronting the individual. The organization says tips can remain anonymous and may qualify for a cash reward of up to $2,000 when they lead to an arrest or recovery of stolen property, according to its official tip information.
For now, the safest useful details are names, screenshots, listing links, vehicle identification numbers, meeting locations, and messages tied to the suspected sales. Preserve the evidence and let investigators make the identification.
