OKLAHOMA CITY - Tonight, our In Your Corner team exposes the dent and ding scam.
Con artists are hiding in parking lots, offering discount repairs.
They recently scammed Katherine Espinosa out of hundreds of dollars on the Oklahoma City’s Southside.
“It's black flat spray paint,” she said. “It looks like it's all scuffed up.”
It was vandalized by two men posing as body shop mechanics.
“Two young men looked like in their early 20's,” she said. “One white, the other Hispanic.”
They targeted her in this bank parking lot and promised to repair her dings and dents for cheap in 30 minutes or less.
Katherine took the bait and let them follow her to Auto Zone, where they purchased supplies like wax and spray paint.
“It's hard to see what they're doing, because they're working so fast,” she said. “They're trying to get done like it's a time thing, 20 minutes, just to prove you can get it done that fast.”
What Katherine got instead was more damage done to her SUV.
We asked the folks at GW & Son Auto Body Shop in Edmond to weigh in on Katherine's dilemma.
They say a 20 minute dent and ding repair can't be done.
“Depending on what type of dent it is or repair needed, you're looking at a three or four day repair,” said Kristi Wano.
The scammers will say anything to get your cash.
When it comes to this scam, they cake wax all over your dents and scratches.
Katherine said they instructed her to keep it on for 24 hours to ensure proper protection.
The In Your Corner bottom line:
- Be suspicious of anyone who approaches you in a parking lot, trying to sell you something.
- Tell them to get lost and leave the real repairs to the professionals.
