Repo men hit, at 4 a.m.
James Is. man's bill of sale was no match for title
By Noah Haglund
The Post and Courier
An empty driveway is a reminder of Travis Gevedon's car-buying experience with Old Towne Auto Sales in Summerville.
To file complaints
about car dealerships with the state Department of Motor Vehicles.
Previous Stories
Car scam investigated; Summerville dealership accused of failure to pay liens on trade-ins, published 09/19/08
Auto dealer arrested, accused of swindling, published 11/06/08
Travis Gevedon confronted the repo men in his driveway.
He had the bill of sale for his 2001 Volvo S40. They had the title.
They won.
"It was kind of embarrassing," Gevedon said of scene that unfolded outside his James Island home about 4 a.m. Friday and caused neighbors to switch on porch lights.
"I didn't know what was going on. They were very militant, very rude."
Gevedon, 30, said he thinks the men repossessed his car because of problems stemming from its purchase from a Summerville dealership in August.
He never received the title, and learned something was wrong after the dealership, Old Towne Auto Sales, didn't return his calls for weeks.
In September he drove by the lot at 711 5th North St. to find it closed. Then he called police.
When he bought the car, he said he paid the full price with a trade-in and a few thousand in cash. He said he learned there was a outstanding lien when the previous owner contacted him through a social-networking Web site.
Now, he's among dozens of people who say they've been swindled by Old Towne Auto Sales.
Some, including Gevedon, have been left without a car. Others say they are driving cars they cannot register because they don't have a title, or are having to make payments on a car they no longer own.
Police arrested the dealership's owner last month on more than 50 felony charges of breach of trust with fraudulent intent. Sal Rigoroso, 42, remains at the Dorchester County Detention Center in St. George on $500,000 bail.
But there seems little that any government entity can do to help people register cars without titles, or get their money back. The state's Department of Consumer Affairs and the state Department of Motor Vehicles have taken complaints online, but haven't promised any relief.
To date, the DMV has received 95 complaints about Old Towne, communications coordinator Jean Smolen said. But the complaint form won't automatically let you register the car, or even drive it legally.
"Just because they file the form, that doesn't mean that they can drive a car that's not registered," said Beth Parks, the agency's communications director. "But we'll do what we can to help them however we can."
Gevedon filed a complaint with the DMV. His situation is not among the criminal cases being investigated by Summerville police. He has started an e-mail account, oldtownescandal@gmail.com, to network with others who may have been burned.
Rather than losing everything, he would be willing to take over the outstanding payments on the Volvo. He has tried to talk to the lien-holder, South Carolina Federal Credit Union, and the car's previous owners. He still doesn't know who had it repossessed.
The credit union, through a media contact, declined to comment. The Summerville couple that Gevedon said used to own the car didn't answer at a number listed in the phone book.
Reach Noah Haglund at 937-5550 or nhaglund@postandcourier.com.
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CannonMan (anonymous) says...
What would you have thought of Mr. Gevedon if you only read the first four paragraphs of this article?
Shame on you Post & Courier - learn how to write.
December 25, 2008 at 12:31 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
chucktonian (anonymous) says...
wow...what a cautionary tale. last time I buy a car from one of these little independent dealers. private sale only with a title from now on
December 25, 2008 at 12:55 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
eyecantspel (anonymous) says...
Never trust a dealer without their own info-merical. That should have been the first clue. Here are some others:
Top 10 Clues your Car is actually not Yours:
10. On Christmas Day, the local going out of business newspaper has a headline that makes it appear you are a slacker who didnt pay your bill. Out of the 9 suscribers to the paper, the 2 that read the entire story will think you need TARP money.
9. The personalized licence plate.... "Stolen"
8. Everytime you are pulled over by police, they arrest you
for rec stolen prop
7. Your bought your car from a dealer who's office is also a mobile home
6. Shamed when the repo men wakes your entire neighborhood up at 4am while taking your car, you decide to let everyone know that you aren't a deadbeat, then the PC does this to you. Merry Christmas!!!
5. The ashtrays are filled with someone else's dried up coffee
4. Your title says " " See, if you don't have a title, you don't own it. Possession (of the title) is 9/10th of the law
3. Your sales person, Julio, doesn't speak English, and offers you the car for half of face value because of damage to the VIN number.
2. It had to be suspicious when someone actually bought a car... I smell a deeper story here.
1. Your car gets repo'ed
December 25, 2008 at 1:45 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Grinder (anonymous) says...
The car dealer should be string up by his thumbs pending trial. If this had happened in my driveway, the repo men would not have won the day. My driveway, my tire iron, etc.
December 25, 2008 at 8:40 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
oldglory (anonymous) says...
And SC can do nothing to 'help' these people? Help? How 'bout it appears there were criminal acts taking place by those selling these vehicles. There are no state laws against this since we live in SC? Gimme a break!
December 25, 2008 at 8:53 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
yird (anonymous) says...
A Summerville couple now MIA traded or sold the Volvo to Sal Rigoroso, aka Slick Sal, surrendering a title to Sal with a lien against it from the SCFCU, who in turn sold the car to Geveden who has now had it repossed in the dead of night.
Sound like a potential script for a TRU TV episode.
Good luck G-man
December 25, 2008 at 9:36 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
JohnS (anonymous) says...
The repo men were correct if he did not have clear title the car does not belong to him. The repo men were just doing their job. Is it possible you were maybe a little rude to them also? Geveden should have just treated this as a normal civil matter instead of calling the newspaper. Next time check out who you are doing business with first. Dirt car lots are here today gone tommorow.
December 25, 2008 at 9:49 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Tides (anonymous) says...
The start of this story clearly implies Mr Gevedon had not been making his payments and that is why the car was taken.
The Post & Courier better change that topic paragraph and fast. Mr. Gevedon, in my opinion, has an easy lawsuit - hands down. Most people do not read beyond the first few sentences then move on to something else.
Shame on you Post and Courier. Shame Shame Shame.
December 25, 2008 at 10:41 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rollo (anonymous) says...
Of Course there are criminal laws against such sales,"old glory" that's why "Sal" is sitting in jail right now.
Mr Gevedons' recourse is civil. Of course, he will probably have to hire an attorney to figure out what the final damages will be, and even though he will likely win a civil suit for fraud, I have no idea how one can collect a judgment from someone who is in jail, again, Mr Gevedon will need the help of a competent attorney.
To ALL! Title searches are available online, for a small fee, this is very affordable insurance against such a horrendous development.
December 25, 2008 at 11:50 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sfarris (anonymous) says...
thank you Rollo, too many of us know nothing of the swindles and even less about the protection!
December 25, 2008 at 1:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
512c (anonymous) says...
we need to find this dealer and take his house and car at 3 am. make sure we do it nice an loud... and with him in his pj's
December 25, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
zekemire (anonymous) says...
These "repo" thugs aall act as criminals braking into cars in private driveways and taking them with no contact or paperwork to the owner! One day they will get into someones yard who will protect his or her property and shoot the criminal thugs! Then, there had better not be any charges against the cars owner, or, we will see that there is h#@* to pay!
December 25, 2008 at 11:05 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rollo (anonymous) says...
"Posted by zekemire on December 25, 2008 at 11:05 p.m. (Suggest removal)
These "repo" thugs aall act as criminals braking into cars in private driveways and taking them with no contact or paperwork to the owner! One day they will get into someones yard who will protect his or her property and shoot the criminal thugs! Then, there had better not be any charges against the cars owner, or, we will see that there is h#@* to pay!"
Zekemire,
These ""repo" thugs" are fulfilling a contract with the owner, the "owner" is the person or institution that holds the title on the vehicle. The purchaser,(Mr. Gevedon, in this case) has a contract with the owner which must be satisfied under the law before the purchaser can take "free and clear title" to the property subject to the contract.
Zekemire, Understand this, The "repo" man is a legitimate businessman, and like any other businessman he has a right to defend himself in the lawful execution of his contracts. Most of these people are "Permitted to Carry", and they always bring backup. "Throwin'Down" on him or his help will probably be the last stupid thing you ever do. AND, they usually alert the Sheriffs' Dept when and where they are about to do a job, there will be a Deputy either with them, or real close by. Just FYI!
December 27, 2008 at 9:32 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
rollo (anonymous) says...
sfarris
I've done business with carfax.com, (not saying they're the only ones) but their rates are very reasonable if you plan to make a serious investment in a theoretically clean and trouble-free vehicle. I would suggest that you write down ALL info specific to the vehicle, including the listings for date and place of final assembly, usually found on a sticker on the opening edge of the drivers' door. Make sure this matches with the search results from the VIN you submit. And Copy the VIN from the factory tag yourself, don't ask the dealer for it!!! LOL!!!
Now, of course, if you're paying cash for a $1,000-1,500 beater, you call your ins agent from the lot, put min liab on it, and take the bill of sale directly to the nearest DMV, they'll run the VIN, and if there's a problem, they catch it right there!
In the words of one of my personal heros, "Trust, but Verify".
December 27, 2008 at 10:07 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
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