The following was reported by the WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning consumers about a scam involving a fake RV dealership that used artificial intelligence and social media advertising to defraud buyers.
The company, listed as Accelerated Motors LLC, advertised on Facebook and listed a Baton Rouge address as its headquarters — a parking lot with no RVs in sight. Images on the company’s website appeared to be AI-altered versions of photos of the actual address, including a misspelled business name.
Carmen Million, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau, said consumers from outside Louisiana began contacting the BBB after seeing the company’s ads online.
“Scammers will use technology. They will use social media, Facebook, which is where this company’s advertising, to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers,” Million said. “Consumers are looking to get a good deal, and so they are easy targets. They are very sophisticated.”
The BBB confirmed Accelerated Motors is not licensed by the Louisiana State Motor Vehicle Commission, which is required for any RV dealer operating in the state. The agency has referred the case to the Federal Trade Commission, the state attorney general’s office, and the FBI.
Victims urged to speak up
Million said many victims do not come forward out of embarrassment — a dynamic scammers rely on.
“If anybody has fallen for that scam, they’ve learned,” Million said. “Open that conversation up with your friends, your family, people in your church, and let them know about this particular scam. The more people we talk to, the more people that have a conversation about, maybe we would save one person.”
The BBB says a similar scam involving mobile homes previously circulated, and another scam of the same type has been reported in the New Orleans area.
How to protect yourself
The BBB recommends the following steps before sending money for any high-ticket item purchased online:
- Google the address listed by the seller
- Check the vehicle’s Kelley Blue Book value
- Verify the seller’s license with the appropriate state agency
- Never wire money to someone you have not met in person
Consumers who believe they have been targeted can file a report at bbb.org/scamtracker.
