Engine Fraud

In April 2023 I purchased a used 2004 911 engine for a 4S vehicle. The price was $7050 and was invoiced through Rally Auto Spares in MD. Rally used Exxotic Auto recyclers for the engine. The engine was never delivered..

What's a rough going rate for an engine rebuild for an "86" Carerra.

You are in a difficult position as you may not be able to prove you never received the engine. What kind of invoices or notice of shipment do you have? If Rally can prove shipment you need to have them file a claim with the shipper. Never agree to a third party shipper unless you are willing to assume the risk. Are you here just to vent?

After I wired the funds, they would not answer the phone or text messaging. The website, Rally, was not on the internet.. I did do a check on the company and found they are an LLC registered in MO. Their website assured customers of their integrity. I spoke to the police in the town where they are located and found them to be just a legal office. Filed a complaint with them. Filed a BBB with the MO office. BBB stated the company did not respond and closed the issue ignoring the fact that they have registered the company. Filed a fraud action with Attorney Generals in MO and MD. Filed a fraud report with the FBI. The bank receiving the funds walked away. Anyone can go on the website Rally Auto Spares and they are still in business. If the company claims shipment was made, they will have to show tracking info and receipt from me, Both Attorney General offices are working the case. Question: If you are making a significant purchase from one of these suppliers, how musch review and confirmation do you need?

Sorry for your problem. If it was me I would have researched before giving them any money. Neither entity has had a presence on this forum since at least 2005 that I know of. Known sources of Porsche rebuilt engines would be much more expensive. I don’t blame you for being attracted to their price. I personally have never heard of either entity so I know nothing about them. Rally Auto Spares seems to have a large support center for tracking orders. Are they not responding to you?

Do not know what more can some one do to research a seller. BBB endorsed the company. They have a website claiming honesty. Cannot find a source to verify the company. Tell me what I missed.

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Quote: Hello @nasa19`` , I am on hold right now with Rally Auto Spares at +1 (443)451-5557, the person I am speaking with is claiming that they did not use or know Exxotic Auto Recyclers, that they have their own inventory, he is hard to understand with his accent, but he is checking with billing for a 2004 engine sold in April of this year at $7050.00, I am back on hold, now he says that billing will call me back in 15 minutes.. The following is not to pour salt into your wound... I will add, as to your comment to @GT3 Chuck , as to what else you would do, you would do just as I just did, I searched with Google for "Rally Auto Spares" in "MD" as you stated, I got the street address that they claimed to be theirs, then with Google maps and street view I can see the building that is supposed to be this Rally Auto Spares, BUT, instead, it is a Rite-Aid Pharmacy store in a shopping center at the exact location of address, and to add to my concerns of this being a legitimate business, this gentleman just answered the phone with a greeting of "Hello", no, Hello, Rally Auto Spares, or any other greeting one would expect from a Auto parts selling business, and when I asked if this was Rally Auto Spares, he stumbled for a few seconds and then said "oh, yes, Auto parts", then when I questioned the address, he said "yes, we are here", I said, but your location is a Rite-Aid, and he said, "oh, we have two other locations in Maryland"... What is also concerning is, that besides the picture of the Rite-Aid at the location (NOW CLOSED, SEE EDIT BELOW), the description of Rally Auto Spares Spares is that it is a "Transportation Service", not an Auto parts supplier, even more concerning is the use of foreign currency symbols on their website, instead of US dollar sign. For verification of a business, I have done this many times, I always Google the phone along with the address to verify the location and business, I have even called neighboring stores or shops to verify their neighbor is actually there, I had in the past, a person tell me in great detail about how a vehicle was stripped to bare metal and repainted, but he wouldn't give me the bodyshop name, so I call 7 or so body shops in his area asking about a white 67 GS 400, and I found it, and the seller outright lied, not only did the seller only have a paint job over the existing paint, he add an accident a month later that required body work and re-spraying of paint in that area, at least I got a refund of a certain amount off the price of the vehicle. I await the return call from Rally Auto Spares, so, if you want to give me an invoice number, I will investigate. EDIT FOR UPDATE : I just called Chic-Fil-A who is the neighboring building in the same shopping center next to what was the Rite-Aid that recently closed, it is NOT a Rally Auto Spares store at this very minute, it is now an O'Reilly Auto Parts store, so, I doubt that you purchased a 2004 Porsche engine from O'Reilly, something fishy going on here. Second update: I just called O'Reilly auto parts at this very same location, and I verified that it is in fact an O'Reilly parts store, and that it has been since Rite-Aid closed, the salesperson at O'Reilly and the Manager at Chick-fil-A both verified that an "Rally Auto Spares has never been here". Johnny .

Johnny is our house Dick…I mean detective…and he sure is good at it! Nicely done JHS!

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Quote: @GT3 Chuck , Thank you ! I try... 🤓. @nasa19`` , Can you please explain some issues as to your comments. You say that Rally Auto Spares was not on the internet, then how did you find or contact them ? If you went through Rally Auto Spares in Maryland to purchase an engine from a supposed recyler named "EXXOTIC", did you check out Exxotic and their location or website, as I found no "exxotic auto recyclers", but I did find an "Exotic Auto Recycling" in California, but they don't deal in Porsche... And who did you wire the money to, business name, routing number, account number, swift code, etc ? I am just really confused as to how you wired money to anyone (Rally) that didn't have a website, or a so called company EXXOTIC, how did this interaction come to be, and why the middle man, have you ever spoken with anyone at this EXXOTIC company, or even Rally ? The website for Rally Auto Spares does exist, and gives the location in MD, but as you said, it lists an office in MO, the ISSUE is that in both of these addresses, the street number is off by one digit, as Rally lists it street address number as "6649", the is no 6649, it is 6650, and 6650 is Fenton Auto Salvage, a salvage yard that has been there since the 70's. EDIT: I called Fenton, and the young lady informed me that this is not the first time, she said there is another named "Auto Recyclers" using their address, and we agreed in our discussion that it is always one digit off on the address number. Also, ignore the "6626" and the "6699" at the bottom of the Google maps screenshots, that just Google showing the street address number as I move the cursor down the road. Johnny .

Search for an engine resulted in several sources. Rally was one of the dealers. The first dealer I contacted was a total risk and cancelled any further talks. Attached is a copy of the Rally invoice:

@nasa19`` , I am sorry, but there are so many red flags, and mis-information, or mis-stated comments as to whom you dealt with, and whom the engine was to be supplied from... Your first post on the matter, you stated that "Rally used Exxotic Auto recyclers for the engine", that means as written, that Rally Auto Spares was getting the engine from Exxotic Auto Recyclers, and then most likely shipping directly to you from Exxotic Auto Recyclers, BUT, the invoice you attached tells a different story of events, and to whom you made a wire transfer to, I certainly would have hoped that you read all of the different addresses and names, as to you being the purchaser, who was supplying the engine, meaning, who physically had it in their possession to sell an ship, and to where it was to be shipped, then there is no information as to the shipping company on the invoice, issues with the company of a different name that you wired the funds to, and to a bank in a different state then any of the companies supposedly involved. The way I read the invoice is as follows, You made a purchase from Rally Auto Spares in Maryland, and said purchased item was to be shipped to Exotic Motorwerks in Scottsdale Arizona, NOT Exxotic Auto Recyclers as you stated, then for some reason you wired the funds to a bank (Evolve Bank and Trust) in Memphis Tennessee, to a company of a different name, that being Expert Auto Recycling LLC, that is even in a different state then any of the others, with an address in Harrisonville Missouri... Not to be rude, or add fuel to the fire, if this is this bad, what was the first seller like, that made you think this was all ok ? This bank in Memphis Tennessee has to know who the account holder is, and by all accounts it is most likely Expert Auto Recycling LLC in MO, so when you say the police "found a legal office" in MO, that must be the office for Expert Auto Recycling LLC, NOT Rally Auto Spares, hopefully all legal parties that you have involved, will get to the bottom of finding this so called "Larry Richard" in MO, that is if the legal office even exists, for that amount of money, it's worth the trip, bring some friends... I just have to add, blunt I know, but, I saw nothing of "integrity", or "claiming honesty" on their website. Sincerely, Johnny

I’ve been around here for a bit and I have to say, and I’m sorry if I will offend OP, but the only other threads I have seen where the OP’s story fell apart like this one were all originated by trolls. The OP shows himself as 83 years of age. I have to say if you still want to drive a Porsche at 83 you have my admiration. I would like to think that an octogenarian knows better than to fall for a sham like this, especially when over $7k is involved. Most people in their eighties can’t suffer a hit like that. If it is sympathy you are looking for here you have it, but you should do some significant self reflection to recognize the many missteps you made along the way.

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Quote: Nott looking for sympathy just a warning for others. Good luck with your purchases you will need it

@nasa19`` , I am sorry to say, but, I think that you have been royally had... I am curious, when the police said it was a "Legal Office", did they mean that the company had a physical business office at the location, or did they mean that it is a legal office, as in, an Attorney Law Office is at the address ? As far a the business registration in Missouri, it does show Expert Auto Recycling LLC at the address shown, (right across the street from the courthouse), and is active with a file number, BUT, what is absolutely absurd is that Missouri allowed the "Registered Agent on File" name to be "Registered Agents INC", instead of the person's true name, although they do list one contact person on record, and his name is "Syed Abdul Khader from Bangalore KA", aka Bengaluru, in India. Johnny .

Right now I am proceeding with Small Claims Court action against Rally Auto Spares. The other legal authorities have taken little or no action. Most of the engine suppliers want a wire transfr and not using charge cards. Wire transfer leaves you wide open.

That is why you have to do your homework. You also need to understand the risk they would have sending you an engine purchased with a credit card where the amount can be disputed after you receive the engine. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true…it is! A decent Porsche engine is going to cost well above $7k but will be from a well known reliable source. PS…you might contact the US Postal service and file a fraud claim as advertising on the internet or other media is considered mail fraud if product is not provided. They are incredibly slow in their investigation and only send out threatening letters but it is better than nothing. I got scammed by a wheel company in Florida and was out of luck until I did two things. In my case the perp was stupid enough to send me a bad check. He was only depositing enough for the check he sent me not to clear and he could keep using the account. Banks won’t tell you but they can freeze an account (I think it cost me $20) until the account holder deposits enough for the hold check to clear. I got my money back but it took nearly 18 months. The other thing was filing with the Postal service as that prevented the scammer from advertising and scamming other auto enthusiasts. Don’t feel like you are the only one. You’re not!

I bought a engine from then a month ago never received it. Be carefull. It's a scam .

Quotes source post: 4937092

Quote: Rally Auto Spares continues to stay in business unimpeded by authorities. I have contacted every legal service that i could fine with no action to recover funds or shut them down. One service Federal Trade Assoc. was not connected. The only thing that was offered was to file a lawsuit against the company. That requires cost and the requirement to be in court. Could not get a lawyer to take the case.