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Detroit man wants $900 deposit back after business sells vehicle he paid for

How Did A Good Deal, End Up So Bad?
Posted at 2:50 PM, Mar 14, 2019
and last updated 2019-03-14 18:40:01-04

DETROIT, Mich. (WXYZ) — Buying a car can be exciting. Though, sometimes it can also be a bit stressful. But once you find the one you love. You can finally breathe a sigh of relief.

Imagine coming up with cash to put down a deposit on a car. A nice, clean used vehicle. A ride in good condition, with new tires and priced just right. It was just perfect!

One Detroit man, Elijah Harris, says a deal he had in place for a used car fell through he hasn’t been able to get his money back!

There was a signed contract. Police were called and so was 7 Action News.

I went to find out, how the brakes got put on the purchase.

Elijah said he found the car on Craigslist and later learned it was parked and nicely priced at angel Motors on Detroit's west side. He put a $900 deposit on the price.

According to Elijah, they gave him a receipt, the VIN and at the bottom of the receipt, told him to come back on March 1. If not, you can't get your money back.

A few days before March 1, Elijah said he showed up to pick up the car, but was told that they sold the vehicle.

It got confrontational as the man said they could get a different car, but he wanted the one he paid far.

When he asked for his money back, they said no.

"I actually offered to get the car they had, if they were willing to go down a couple hundred dollars, and they weren't even willing to do that," Elijah said.

They say the staff refused to give Elijah the refund and police were called to the scene.

7 Action News was also called, and we checked the reviews online, but they weren't good.

Andrea Isom picked up the phone and called, and the person on the phone said the situation is being handed off to an attorney.

"But why are you guys contacting a lawyer when you have his $900?" Andrea asked.

They hung up the phone. She called back again and again and again, but sent her straight to voicemail.

Eventually, Andrea went up there, but the people inside started closing up the business.

The next day, the owner of Angel Motors called and offered Elijah to put the $900 deposit toward another car or a $500 refund. Right now, they are weighing their options.

If you're thinking of doing this, make sure to read the reviews of the business beforehand, get referrals rom friends, family and co-workers, and never use a pre-paid card, instead, using a credit card if possible.