Central Florida couple loses thousands to imposter scam

Summary

A Central Florida couple, George and Melania Griffin, lost $24,480 in an imposter scam after purchasing a John Deere tractor advertised on Facebook by a company called Atlas Truck Equipment. The couple, from Geneva, paid by wire transfer for the tractor, which was never delivered. The company, which claimed to be based in Houston, Texas, does not appear to exist. The Griffins reported the fraud to the Seminole County Sheriff's Office, which indicated they may not recover their money. The Better Business Bureau of Central Florida identified the incident as an imposter scam, a type of fraud that is increasing in frequency. The BBB found three complaints related to Atlas Truck Equipment on its Scam Tracker.