AN UNSCRUPULOUS car dealer has lured unsuspecting victims and defrauded them of hundreds of thousands of rands.

Thomas Beck, who operates from Springs, was arrested two weeks ago after he allegedly defrauded consumers under the pretext that he was selling cars.

Beck is accused of selling cars belonging to other dealers.

Police spokesman Captain Johan nes Ramphora confirmed that Beck was arrested for defrauding about 13 consumers of an amount possibly in excess of R1 million.

"We expect the number of victims could increase as the suspect has been operating in this fashion for quite some time," said Ramphora.

Beck was first arrested in July and released on R5000 bail. He was rearrested later that month after 10 more victims laid charges of theft by false pretence against him and he was granted R10000 bail. He is due to appear in the Springs Magistrate's Court on October 10.

One of his victims, Pule Maboke, said Becks targeted buyers who did not have deposits, driver's licences or had low credit ratings.

Although he does not own the cars he purports to sell, he frequents dealerships where he "shows" the cars on sale belonging to other dealers.

Maboke responded to an advert Beck placed in a local newspaper last December which promised to sell cars to consumers who are either blacklisted or do not have licences.

Beck took him to Beto Motors in North West and Hugo Motors in Springs to choose his dream car.

Maboke did not sign a contract with him, but Beck sent him forms authorising him to do credit checks on both Maboke and his mother's name.

"I did not have a good credit rating and my mother, who also does not have a driver's licence, was willing to stand in as a surety for me when applying for finance," Maboke explained.

Little did he know that he and his mother were going to be hoodwinked into applying for a personal loan of R48000 with the help of Beck, and a credit card for his mother whose funds were later transferred to Beck.

To augment the money from his pocket to buy the car he liked, Beck arranged that Maboke's mother hand over the credit card and pin number to him and withdrew amounts of R4000 until the card's R30000 limit was reached.

"No car was delivered as promised, but Beck was seen in video footages buying alcohol, clothing and making withdrawals from different places using my mother's credit card."

Maboke now has to repay R4500 per month for the debt.

One car dealer who kicked Beck out within a few months of him renting an office at the dealer's premises, said Beck was a smooth operator who tricked gullible consumers by hiring offices inside or near dealerships.

"He is sly about it, he makes them think they are getting good deals as he also offers discounts on the cars he does not own," the dealer said.

Maboke learnt he was conned when Beck gave him countless excuses instead of delivering the car but he was not the only one to fall prey to Beck.

Beck's former partner, Roger Swanevelder of Springs who parted ways with him 10 years ago, said they split after he discovered Beck had defrauded their clients and him.

He said Beck defrauded him of an undisclosed purchase amount for four cars and a loan amount of R95000.

Johan Venter, a vintage car collector, said Beck conned him out of R227000 under false pretences that he would sell him four vintage cars.

Beck denied that there are fraud cases pending against him or that he is out on bail.

He said cases mentioned by the police were a thing of the past and he was still in the business of selling cars in Benoni.

He offered to refund Maboke the R78000 on receipt of a letter of cancellation but had not done so at the time of going to print.

Ramphora invited anyone who may have been conned in a similar manner to visit the Springs police station and lay charges or call 011-365-5717/20/21 and speak to the investigating officer, Inspector Frans Strijdom.

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