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‘Please don’t do this:' A warning about fake Colorado car dealers on Tik Tok

Denver7 · · 477 words · By Jaclyn Allen
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What to know about ‘Please don’t do this:' A warning about fake Colorado car dealers on Tik Tok

— Denver7 Investigates tracked down a viewer tip about a fake Colorado car dealership advertising on TikTok.

Claims checked 7
Techniques found 0
Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center100%
Right0%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

— Denver7 Investigates tracked down a viewer tip about a fake Colorado car dealership advertising on TikTok.

Why it matters

What we found points to a much larger problem.

Common ground

The email from Alisha Small, a 22-year-old nursing student in Florida, read: “They have ceased communication and are refusing to refund my $2,550 or deliver the vehicle.” Last month, Small agreed to buy what she thought was a 2020 Honda Civic from Drive Cheap…

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.denver7.com/news/investigations/please-dont-do-this-a-warning-about-…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 7 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 5
check_circle Corroborated 1
verified Verified 1
info
Claim 1: “the Aurora address listed on the company’s website led to an apartment complex, not a dealership.”
SINGLE SOURCE
While search results mention Aurora, Colorado and apartment complexes in general, there is no specific evidence confirming that the address for 'Drive Cheap USA Cars' is an apartment complex.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — State representation is listed in the tables below (areas implied to be in Arapahoe County unless noted: not all districts are fully in Aurora). Colorado State Representatives.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aurora,_Colorado
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Aurora Colorado apartment complex taken over. #aurora #news #colorado #breakingnews #america. This Aurora, Colorado apartment complex reached out knowing they needed a big upgrade to their building se…
https://www.tiktok.com/discover/aurora-colorado-apartments-s…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Today, the United States address system is one of the most complex and efficient in the world. It is a system that has evolved over time to meet the needs of a growing and changing population.
https://usaddressgenerator.com/
check_circle
Claim 2: “Officials said it is an example of a cloned website scam in which criminals impersonate legitimate dealerships by stealing photos, logos and even street addresses.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent sources (Cannon Courier, Auto Industry reports, and IC3) describe the mechanics of cloned website scams where criminals impersonate legitimate businesses by stealing logos, photos, and listings.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — However, the dealership is fake, and the photos of inventory featured on its website until it was recently taken down were merely copies from a licensed and legitimate dealership's website in Michigan…
https://www.cannoncourier.com/article/21465/website-scammers…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Scammers set up fake dealership websites, often stealing logos, photos, and listings from real dealers to make their sites look authentic. They might invent a fictional dealership or impersonate a rea…
https://dunritedetail.com/fake-online-dealership-scams-are-f…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The download page looks legitimate and the download itself is named after the program the user intended to download. These advertisements have also been used to impersonate websites involved in financ…
https://www.ic3.gov/PSA/2022/PSA221221
info
Claim 3: “The email from Alisha Small, a 22-year-old nursing student in Florida, read: “They have ceased communication and are refusing to refund my $2,550 or deliver the vehicle.””
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided web search results do not mention Alisha Small in the context of a car scam; one result refers to an economist with the same name and others are unrelated news snippets.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Alisha Small is the McNair Center scholar for economic growth. She has more than 15 years of experience as an economist with the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics measuring labor co…
https://www.bakerinstitute.org/expert/alisha-small
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Lake Mary, Florida, rallies to beat Taiwan 2-1 in 8 innings to win Little League...
https://www.youtube.com/c/WVECTelevisionInc
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 22-year-old man being shot and killed by police.
https://www.boston25news.com/
info
Claim 4: “The Colorado Department of Revenue’s Auto Industry Division confirmed Drive Cheap USA Cars is not licensed to sell vehicles in Colorado.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of Wikipedia entries and sign-in pages for Google Drive, which are completely irrelevant to the licensing of a car dealership in Colorado.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Google Drive offers users 15 GB of free storage, sharing it with Gmail and Google Photos. Through Google One, Google Drive also offers paid plans at tiers of 100 GB and 2 TB, along with a premium 2 TB…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Drive
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Access Google Drive with a Google account (for personal use) or Google Workspace account (for business use).
https://drive.google.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — May 24, 2025 · Signing in to Google Drive is the first step towards unlocking its powerful features. By following this guide, you can confidently access, manage, and share your files from any device.
https://www.tech2geek.net/how-to-sign-in-to-google-drive-and…
verified
Claim 5: “Emission tests in Colorado are generally $35.”
VERIFIED
Two independent authoritative sources (AirCare Colorado and a news report on the price increase) explicitly state that the cost for a biennial emissions test for 1982 & newer gasoline vehicles in Colorado is $35.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 1982 and newer vehicles: An emissions test is required every two years for vehicles more than seven model years old. Your vehicle registration renewal postcard will state whether or not a test is requ…
https://dmv.colorado.gov/gas-emissions-requirements
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — DENVER — Your next vehicle emissions test will cost you more. Air Care Colorado is increasing fees by $10 from $25 to $35. It's the second price adjustment in the program's history. The previous incre…
https://www.denver7.com/money/consumer/colorado-increasing-t…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Cost Inspection Fees 1982 & Newer Model Year Gasoline-powered Vehicles: $35 biennial (Every two years) 1981 & Older: $20 annual VIN Verification: $25 Six (6) years old or newer: Exempt Cash, checks, a…
https://aircarecolorado.com/need-know
info
Claim 6: “Then came other charges including a “dealership transportation insurance” fee for $1,000 and a “standard emission test” for $799.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The search results provide general information about used cars and fitness tests in India, but do not mention specific fees charged by 'Drive Cheap USA Cars'.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 36,405 used cars for sale from USA. Best prices and best deals for cars in USA. Ads from car dealers and private sellers. Review and Buy used cars online at OOYYO.
https://www.ooyyo.com/united+states/used-cars-for-sale/c=CDA…
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web search NEUTRAL — Find the perfect car for your needs at Cars.com. Shop new and used cars, sell your car, compare prices, and explore financing options to find your dream car today!
https://www.cars.com/
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Fitness test charges now higher for all vehicles above 10 yearsOlder commercial vehicles face the steepest increaseIncreased fees expected to push more owners towards scrappage or replacement
https://www.autocarindia.com/car-news/fitness-test-fees-for-…
info
Claim 7: “Small agreed to buy what she thought was a 2020 Honda Civic from Drive Cheap USA Cars after spotting it on TikTok.”
SINGLE SOURCE
No evidence was found in the search results linking Alisha Small or 'Drive Cheap USA Cars' to a TikTok transaction for a Honda Civic.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Facebook paid GOP firm to malign TikTok ( via the Washington Post ).
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2022/03/30/faceboo…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — 36,405 used cars for sale from USA. Best prices and best deals for cars in USA. Ads from car dealers and private sellers.
https://www.ooyyo.com/united+states/used-cars-for-sale/c=CDA…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Every Honda vehicle is designed and engineered to unlock a world of driving excitement. Discover The Power of Dreams today.2026 Honda Civic Hatchback Sport in Rallye Red rear view Driving through a tu…
https://automobiles.honda.com/
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.