PLACER COUNTY, CA — “On Monday, May 4, the Placer County Sheriff’s Office arrested three suspects connected to a sophisticated “oil-in-the-engine” scam targeting victims across California.
Gabi Tanase, 23, Ionut Tanase, 34 and Marius Tanase, 28, were taken into custody following an investigation led by our Property Crimes Unit. Marius Tanase also had an outstanding warrant from another county.
Last week, a Placer County resident reported an attempted scam after meeting with potential buyers for his vehicle. During the encounter, the suspects attempted to manipulate the situation to make it appear the car had a serious mechanical issue. The victim grew suspicious, declined to sell, and contacted law enforcement.
That call helped us identify a larger operation.
This scam works by suspects posing as buyers on platforms like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist. While distracting the seller, they secretly tamper with the vehicle by placing oil into areas like the coolant reservoir or tailpipe. During a test drive, the oil burns and creates smoke, making it appear the vehicle is failing. They then pressure the seller to accept a much lower price. Victims, often elderly, can lose thousands of dollars. The suspects then resell the vehicles at full value.
Detectives determined the suspects had been traveling across multiple counties, including Placer, Sacramento, Napa, El Dorado, Contra Costa, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Tehama, targeting victims.
With the help of regional partners and the California Highway Patrol, deputies stopped the suspects near Red Bluff.
𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘃𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲, 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱:
- Approximately $11,000 in cash
- Evidence tied to the scam
- A bottle of oil used to carry out the fraud
𝗔 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝗦𝗮𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗼𝗳:
- Additional vehicle titles
- Multiple mobile devices
- An unreported stolen vehicle
- More than $22,000 in cash
Detectives have already identified additional victims, including one in Los Angeles County who was scammed just days earlier.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿:
- Attempted theft by false pretenses
- Attempted elder fraud
- Vandalism
- Conspiracy
The investigation is ongoing, and additional victims may exist.
If you believe you may have been targeted in Placer County, contact us at abliss@placer.ca.gov. If you are outside the area, please contact your local law enforcement agency.
🔹 𝗦𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿:
If you are buying or selling a vehicle online, take precautions. Meet in a safe location like a DMV office, verify paperwork, and trust your instincts. If something feels off, it probably is.”
Originally posted by the Placer County Sheriff’s Office.
Photos courtesy of same
