A North Carolina veteran was scammed out of thousands of dollars while attempting to purchase a truck to aid in the search for his wife, who went missing when their home was swept away by Hurricane Helene.
Rod Ashby, desperate to find his wife Kim Ashby, was recently scammed out of nearly $40,000 while trying to buy a replacement vehicle, CNN reported.
After losing his truck in the flood, Ashby, a U.S. Navy veteran, found a website claiming to sell repossessed vehicles at below-market prices. He wired the money for a 2020 Ford F-350, only to realize he had been scammed when his daughter Ansley Ashby called back pretending to be another buyer and found the truck still "for sale."
"It's just another gut punch," Ansley Ashby told CNN, explaining that her father was "really just trying to find a truck that didn't break the bank" amid the family's devastation. Despite their efforts, including contacting both banks and filing a police report, the family has not been able to recover the money.
Ashby's story highlights the risk of scams during times of crisis, Melanie McGovern from the Better Business Bureau told CNN, who advises using credit cards or checks instead of wiring funds.
The scammer's website has since been taken down, but for Rod Ashby, who is still searching for his wife, the ordeal has compounded the tragedy.
"He definitely took advantage of our situation," Ansley Ashby told the outlet.
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