Ohio ‘Mechanic’ Caught Using Facebook to Scam Drivers and Steal Parts
An Ottawa County, Ohio, couple thought they were solving a simple no-start issue when they posted for help on Facebook. A local mechanic offered to bring their car to his shop. But instead of a repair, they wound up with both a dead car and a $200 hole in their wallet.
Drivers needing a mechanic on a budget sometimes go to Facebook
Jeff Iffland and his wife, who live in Clay Center, needed their car to fire up again. But they’re on a tight budget. So, they brought in a man who advertised himself as a mechanic.
He showed up, looked over the starter, and got the engine to crank. Iffland says the so-called expert assured him that they didn’t need a new starter.
The couple later explained that the mechanic got the car running by smacking the worn component hard enough to wake it up for the moment.
It ran, technically, but anyone who’s spent time around starter failures knows that trick doesn’t buy time; it simply confirms what’s wrong.
The mechanic charged them $200 for his “expertise” and went on his merry way.
The next morning, the car refused to start
The couple tried to contact the mechanic, but he disappeared.
Friends later replaced the starter properly and told the Ifflands what they already suspected: The man never repaired anything. They added that he ignored corroded wiring and never touched the starter itself.
Once the Ifflands went public with their experience with the “mechanic,” others emerged with similar stories
They described missing parts, missing tools, and the same vanishing act once money changed hands. Iffland said it seemed the guy had been going around town doing “whatever he could” to bring in cash.
The Better Business Bureau in Toledo urged drivers to take care when hiring anyone who markets automotive work through Facebook.
The organization’s president explained that online marketplaces like Facebook and Craigslist contain good people and bad. But the lack of structure can make scams easier to run.
He encouraged drivers to collect identifying information, verify licenses, check BBB records, and talk with local law enforcement if something feels off.
From my years behind the service counter, also here in Ohio, I’ve learned a few things that might help people sort the real pros from the hustlers. One is that if it sounds too cheap to be true, it probably is.
Good mechanics tend to work in (or run) highly rated businesses. Check Google reviews, Reddit, and Facebook groups for feedback from actual customers.
A great shop will explain the diagnosis in plain language. They quote before turning a bolt, and they stand behind their work. They certainly won’t ghost a customer experiencing the results of a repair process stopped short.
