My Father-In-Law is a car dealer and he recently sold a car to a military man A.W.O.L

What is the name of your state?Alabama
My mother is a manager at a convenient store just off the interstate and she called me one day to tell me this young guy was in there in desperate need of money so he could get home to Texas to be with his family so he was trying to sell his 2000 camero which was really nice and sharp.He wanted $500, just enough to get him a bus ticket and get him home.I called my father-in law,who is a car dealer and he went and talked to the guy and he says this guy seemed really honest and he felt sorry for him.So he bought the car for $500 (that was not running because the fuel pump had went out as he was driving it on the interstate)without the title and the guy gave my father-in-law all of his military information,insurance card,copy of his driver license,social security card...ect,.the guy said as soon as he got to texas he would mail the title but never did.My father-in-law talked to the guys dad on the phone and the dad said he went A.W.O.L.Turns out,the car is not paid for and $10,000 is still owed on it.We have learned a great lesson from this but what is the best advice for my father-in-law?

my father in law etc

Depends on what "all the military information" is that this guy gave your dad... If you even know what post he is AWOL from, make copies of all the information, ID, insurance card etc, and send it to the JAG office (military lawyers-Judge Advocate General) with a letter detailing the entire transaction. They may not be able to help you recover the car/money but they may be able to notify you when he is apprehended, which may be years from now Do ask the JAG office to reply to your request so you know where you stand.

Hope for a posting from BADAPPLE who can tell you if this can be persued through civilian law as theft.

Also, the AWOL soldier I am seeking is in the Alabama/Georgia area. Can you please post just his initials so I can see if it is him? If it is, I will GLADLY exchange information with you. Thanks very much.

Do you know if this guy is upside down in his payments? Where is the car now?

I'd also figure out where he went AWOL from like lvn saif, because he is still active duty and can be charged for larceny or possibly other offenses as a result of his misrepresentations (perhaps Article 133). Part of what they can get is an order granting you restitution.

badapple40 said:

Do you know if this guy is upside down in his payments? Where is the car now?

I'd also figure out where he went AWOL from like lvn saif, because he is still active duty and can be charged for larceny or possibly other offenses as a result of his misrepresentations (perhaps Article 133). Part of what they can get is an order granting you restitution.

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I believe he is behind several payments,is what his father told us.The car is still in my father-in-law's possestion.

lvn4ever said:

Depends on what "all the military information" is that this guy gave your dad... If you even know what post he is AWOL from, make copies of all the information, ID, insurance card etc, and send it to the JAG office (military lawyers-Judge Advocate General) with a letter detailing the entire transaction. They may not be able to help you recover the car/money but they may be able to notify you when he is apprehended, which may be years from now Do ask the JAG office to reply to your request so you know where you stand.

Hope for a posting from BADAPPLE who can tell you if this can be persued through civilian law as theft.

Also, the AWOL soldier I am seeking is in the Alabama/Georgia area. Can you please post just his initials so I can see if it is him? If it is, I will GLADLY exchange information with you. Thanks very much.

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I will ask my father-in-law what the man's name is and get back to you with that info.I remember my father-in-law telling me that the guy said he was stationed in north carolina but I'm not exactly sure.I will most definately ask him and let you know though.thanks.

my father in law

Thanks for checking on man's name.

If he is ARMY and stationed in NC, there is a good chance he was at Fort Bragg, which is in Fayetteville, NC. Call directory assistance, ask for the base operator and they will direct you to the JAG office. You can also ask for the POST LOCATOR, which is a service on each base that will tell you the unit to which any particular soldier was assigned. If the Post Locator confirms that he was assigned to a unit on Fort Bragg, go back to Post Operator, ask for the unit's phone number and then call that unit's Company Commander or First Sergeant. Those are the people who can MAKE things happen. Always take good notes on who you talk to: name and rank.

He could've been assigned to a more off the wall place, like a recruiting office or armory, but start with Fort Bragg.

The down side is that this guy is obviously a snake, so he might have told your father -in- law NOTHING but lies, including the "stationed in NC" part.

I think you miss my point. My point is, you have the car. The alleged payoff is $10,000. What is the car worth? Can you sell it for $15,000? If so, then the person is not what I call "upside down" in his/her payments, and you all are ahead $5,000.

And, beyond the father, have you talked to anyone who actually has a lien on it? Have you thought about perfecting your lien on the car?

badapple40 said:

I think you miss my point. My point is, you have the car. The alleged payoff is $10,000. What is the car worth? Can you sell it for $15,000? If so, then the person is not what I call "upside down" in his/her payments, and you all are ahead $5,000.

And, beyond the father, have you talked to anyone who actually has a lien on it? Have you thought about perfecting your lien on the car?

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My father-in -law gave him $500 for the car itself and took the guy to the bus stop so he could go home to Texas.The guy promised to mail the car title (which he evidently didn't have because the car isn't payed for)as soon as he got home to Texas.The car is worth about $12,000 blue book value.But we can't sell it because we have No title...this guy ripped us off and we felt sorry for him.

The title is in the first leinholder's name. OK, all well and good. But guess what, your possession of said vehicle perfects your lein against everyone but that person's. I'd file a letter with them asserting your lein. You can probably file an action in the local court, naming the primary leinholder and this guy, getting a court-ordered sale, and you'd take whatever is left after the original leinholder is paid off.

I don't know how much that would be, but I venture to guess that you'll end up around $2,000.

And that gets me to my next point. Bluebook on the car is $12,000. You paid $500 for it. That seems to me like you were trying to take advantage of this guy, so pardon me if I don't weep for you.

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strip it............. they guy to owes his credit union

vendictive said:

strip it............. they guy to owes his credit union

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Strip the car down enough to get the 500 back. Like take the motor out of it. And then give it to the creditor.

badapple40 said:

The title is in the first leinholder's name. OK, all well and good. But guess what, your possession of said vehicle perfects your lein against everyone but that person's. I'd file a letter with them asserting your lein. You can probably file an action in the local court, naming the primary leinholder and this guy, getting a court-ordered sale, and you'd take whatever is left after the original leinholder is paid off.

I don't know how much that would be, but I venture to guess that you'll end up around $2,000.

And that gets me to my next point. Bluebook on the car is $12,000. You paid $500 for it. That seems to me like you were trying to take advantage of this guy, so pardon me if I don't weep for you.

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Woah I actually agree wuth the moldy apple.