A car flipper learned a hard lesson after driving seven hours to Chicago to sell his Corvette Z06, only to have the buyer speed off with it. The seller, known as Ghosted on TikTok, shared the full story in a video posted, detailing how a plan to make $10,000 profit ended with him down roughly $70,000.
The buyer offered to pay the full $60,000 asking price, plus extra for delivery. They agreed to meet at a bank, where the buyer claimed he was arriving via Uber with a bag full of cash. Instead, he showed up with a small bag holding only about $1,000. Ghosted said, “He’s like, yeah, if you want to make sure it’s like legit. And it’s a pretty small bag, and I’m like, there’s no way you fit $63,000 in that bag.”
Despite this red flag, Ghosted let the buyer take the car for a test drive, reports Motor1. They pulled over on a side street for an engine inspection, a calculated move by the thief. Ghosted explained, “He opens the door, puts his foot out the car, and so I’m like, all right, so I get out. The second I step out, he takes off on me.” Around 10 squad cars eventually arrived, but the car was already gone, and Ghosted was forced to fly home after giving a statement to police.
The stolen Corvette story reveals how costly a missing insurance policy can be
The aftermath has been just as painful as the theft itself. Ghosted confirmed that his insurance will not cover the loss because he was only carrying liability insurance. Liability-only coverage handles damage caused to others and does not cover theft or vandalism of the owner’s vehicle, leaving him with no financial recourse.
He admitted on TikTok, “I’m pretty much starting from scratch. I’m down like 70 grand. Insurance won’t cover it. … I have to start brand new with nothing to my name.” This is a reminder that anyone selling or flipping cars should carry comprehensive coverage, especially when transporting high-value vehicles across state lines.
Car flipping can go wrong in other ways too, as one enthusiast found out after spending $7,000 modifying a $2,000 car only to end up with something worth even less than before. Investigators and Ghosted have since found that this was likely not the buyer’s first time pulling this kind of scam. A friend told Ghosted that the same person had tried something similar before but was stopped by police.
A review of the buyer’s Facebook Marketplace profile also showed that another seller had driven 12 hours to meet him at a police station, only for the buyer to never show up. This pattern suggests the individual had been actively targeting private sellers for some time, carefully picking people willing to travel long distances with expensive vehicles.
Experts suggest several ways to protect yourself in private car sales, such as copying the buyer’s driver’s license, meeting in a public place during the day, and keeping the keys on you during any exterior inspection. Verifying the buyer’s identity beforehand and insisting on a wire transfer before handing over any keys can also make a significant difference.
Some commenters on the video were blunt about the mistakes made. One user simply wrote, “education is key..” Another commenter wrote, “Never ever drive for a sale, not even when they ask to meet you half way. They will always offer you a lower price cause you already drove.”
Ghosted is still waiting for any updates on his missing Corvette and has asked anyone in the Chicago area to get in touch if they have any information. The case serves as a stark warning for anyone involved in private vehicle sales, particularly those dealing with high-value cars and unknown buyers.
Not every car story ends in disaster, though, one woman who paid just $25 for a mystery car rental proved that sometimes taking a chance can work out in your favor. The case remains open, and no arrest has been reported so far.
Published: Apr 13, 2026 09:05 am