Couple looking to buy truck makes $15,000 mistake

HOUSTON -- A couple looking to buy a truck made a $15,000 mistake.

When Anita Marin and her husband saw a truck advertised on Craigslist back in February, they wanted it.

"My husband likes these kinds of trucks and he saw this one and he fell in love with it," said Marin.

Marin says the seller agreed to lower the price to $15,000 so she and her husband agreed to meet the seller, Jassen Clayton Doherty.

"It was a 2008 and we just looked all around it; he said we could drive it," said Marin.

Marin and her husband say they gave the cash to Doherty and he gave them a receipt. He did not give them a title to the truck, even though the Marin's asked for one.

"He was going to pay the tax, title and license. He was going to change it to my name and I would get the title in the mail," said Marin.

All seemed fine, until three weeks later.

"And then the repo guy came," said Marin.

That's when the Marin's learned the truck had a loan on it that Doherty never paid off so the truck was repossessed by the bank. Doherty is now behind bars for an unrelated crime in Brazoria County and the Marin's are out $15,000.

Consumer experts say this kind of fraud happens quite often and it's the number one reason to get the title before giving anyone money for a used vehicle.

"That's your legal proof; otherwise, it's just a shake of the hand and a lot of air going on and it's goodbye and good riddance to you," said Dan Parsons with the Houston BBB.

The Marins are in the process of contacting the Brazoria County District Attorney's Office to see if charges can be filed against Doherty.

Consumers experts say if you are buying a used car, and the title is not available at the time of sale, walk away from the deal.