Several people came forward to EverythingLubbock.com saying they are victims of fraudulent car deals orchestrated by a man named Scott Townsend. EverythingLubbock.com checked with Lubbock Police who explained that they are investigating his involvement in several cases in what appears to be a string of stolen vehicles. The cases Townsend is connected to are still under investigation and LPD said they are trying to determine his involvement.
Deanna Hernandez said Townsend is her cousin by marriage, she is speaking out to warn people about him.
“He’s selling cars without titles or he’s selling them and offering them with a salvaged title on them,” she explained.
She knows firsthand. She said she let Townsend borrow her car and he sold it to someone else. Hernandez has now come to befriend the person who wound up with her vehicle as well as several others who say they are victims of Townsend’s dealings. They explained that Townsend will advertise car sales by posting on Facebook, marketing cheap deals and saying he will only take a small amount of commission.
Mark Hernandez, a relative of Townsend’s said he found out about this through Facebook.
“Everybody started coming out [with details], I started getting worried then I found out what had happened,” he said.
Several people on social media also said that they are victims of Townsend’s dealings.
These cheap, Facebook deals tend to appeal to people who are in a financial pinch, Deanna Hernandez explained. Which makes her even more upset.
“[It’s people that] are easily taken advantage of, people with poor credit who have only cash or that have a low amount of cash,” she explained.
Lubbock Police said on Monday they were called out to East 1st and Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. where they pulled over a reported stolen vehicle, and found out the owners had no idea they bought a stolen vehicle. LPD said that car is connected to Townsend.
Deanna Hernandez is making a plea to Townsend for these crimes to stop “That’s all I want, and I want him to pay for the crimes he’s committed, I’m a citizen and I pay for my crimes and he should to,” she said.
EverythingLubbock.com tried to reach out to Townsend multiple times but have not heard back from him.
“It’s a huge red flag if you’re buying the vehicle from the person who doesn’t have the title in hand that could be a very good indication that the person doesn’t have the car legally,” Lubbock Police Assistant Chief Jon Caspell said.
He added that he would discourage anyone who does auto business with someone they meet online from making any agreements or purchases before verifying the car title in person.