WYDOT Warns Wyoming Buyers of Fake Dealer Websites Targeting Vehicle Sales

Someone nearly wired thousands of dollars to scammers who had built a polished copy of a real Wyoming equipment dealer's website, complete with matching graphics and a full inventory of vehicles and heavy equipment that did not actually belong to them. The only thing that stopped him was a long drive to verify the deal in person.

Following reports of a website posing as a legitimate dealership in southeast Wyoming, the Wyoming Department of Transportation issued a public reminder to be wary of buying vehicles, trailers and other heavy equipment online without due diligence. The legitimate dealer, Rose Brothers, reported the website to WYDOT, saying it was impersonating the dealership and showing vehicles and equipment for sale. Rose Bros. Inc. is based in Lingle, Wyoming, where a small blacksmith shop founded by Jim Rose grew into a full-service implement and equipment dealer serving Wyoming and nearby states.

WYDOT Compliance and Investigation Investigator Shane Fox said "an out-of-state potential buyer saved himself from potentially being scammed out of thousands of dollars by doing his due diligence and traveling to Wyoming to verify a potential online purchase." Fox followed that with a broader warning: "As scams like these continue to advance in complexity, we want to warn the public: do not be so blinded by a good price online that you don't take those steps to verify a website and vehicle are real."

It is a common scammer tactic to spoof legitimate websites to trick unsuspecting buyers into purchasing items that may not exist or to steal personal and payment information. These websites match the real ones in design and graphics but not in URL or other key details. Scammers will post deals on these websites that prove too good to be true.

WYDOT and local law enforcement are investigating the website. WYDOT investigators work closely with law enforcement to try to take down known scam websites, but many are based outside of the United States, which complicates removal efforts even after a fraudulent site is identified.

WYDOT released specific guidance for anyone shopping for vehicles, trailers, or heavy equipment online. If you are unable to view an item in person, have someone you trust do so before money changes hands. WYDOT publishes lists of legitimate, licensed vehicle dealers, salvage yards, and rental vehicle agencies in the state at dot.state.wy.us/home/vehicle_bus_regulation/new-business.html. If a text or website feels suspicious, contact the agency or company through a different means to verify.

Anyone who feels they might have been affected by a scam can contact WYDOT Compliance online at dot.state.wy.us/home/titles_plates_registration/compliance_info.html, or contact the Wyoming Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division at attorneygeneral.wyo.gov/law-office-division/consumer-protection-and-antitrust-unit.

The Rose Brothers case underscores a pattern WYDOT is watching closely as online equipment markets grow. A decades-old Lingle dealership with a recognizable name and established inventory made it an appealing target to impersonate, and the sophistication of the fake site, visually convincing enough to prompt a would-be buyer to consider a major purchase, signals that these operations are not amateur efforts. Until the investigation concludes, buyers shopping Wyoming dealer listings online should treat any unusually low price as a starting point for scrutiny, not a reason to act fast.