Imagine finding your dream classic car online, wiring the cash, and then realizing the dealership never existed. That’s exactly what’s happening to buyers who fall for fake dealership websites like MaizeMotors.us. Police say it’s nothing more than a scam to steal money from car enthusiasts, but warn there are usually red flags.

A fake dealership, a real warning

The Maize, Kansas Police Department is sounding the alarm on MaizeMotors.us, a website pretending to be a real used car dealership. The site lists a Kansas address and phone number, but there’s a catch—Maize Motors shut down long ago.

“We have determined, both through researching the website and in talking with the owner of Maize Motors, that this is NOT a legitimate website and is a front to defraud car enthusiasts out of money,” the Maize Police Department said. They urged buyers: “DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH OR THROUGH THIS WEBSITE. MAIZE MOTORS IS PRESENTLY NOT IN BUSINESS.”

Scammers even stole photos from real dealerships to make their listings look legitimate. “The photos of classic cars on the website have all been taken from other legitimate websites,” NBC’s KSNW reported.

And it’s not just Maize Motors. A year ago, another fake dealership website popped up using the name of a closed Emporia, Kansas business. Jeremy Brunen of Garage Kept Motors says these scams hit small dealerships across the country, without having to outsmart the Feds. “For the FBI to get involved and shut them down, someone must have been scammed out of a minimum of $250,000,” he explained.

Real scam victims, real losses

Sadly, this isn’t just an online annoyance—it’s costing real people big money. Retired firefighter Matthew Hobson learned the hard way. He wired $45,000 to buy what he thought was a restored ’68 Chevy Camaro. The sellers had professional videos, answered all his questions, and seemed completely legitimate.

“They sent me videos, they walked around the car; it was so professionally done,” Hobson told The U.S. Sun. He spent weeks verifying the deal. But once they had his money, they vanished.

How to protect yourself from car scams

These scams are getting harder to spot. Classic car insurance experts at Hagerty suggest requesting a current photo of the car and running a reverse image search to check if it’s been stolen from another listing. They also recommend getting an independent inspection—never trust the seller’s word alone.

Scammers are getting smarter, and some classic car buyers are easy targets. If a deal seems too good to be true, assume it is. And if a seller asks for money before you’ve verified the car exists? Walk away.