Columbia, SC (WLTX) - Columbia police say he tricked victims into giving him thousand of dollars. Now, he will spend 4 years in prison.
Bradley Donald Smith, 43, was extradited from Las Vegas to Columbia in September in connection to car scams that occurred over the summer.
According to a report, Smith swindled thousands of dollars from four victims saying they could buy cars for lower than retail price. When the victims deposited the money into his account, Smith kept the cash but never delivered the vehicles.
He was sentenced to 4 years in prison for two counts of obtaining signature/ property under false pretenses. Upon his release, he must also pay $60,000 in restitution.
To prevent scams, Columbia police offer the following tips:
- Don’t pay upfront for a promise / guarantee
- Consider payment with fraud protection
- Don’t deposit a check to a stranger’s bank account
- Be skeptical of ‘too good to be true’ offers
- Report suspected scammers to police immediately
