A 鈥渃urber鈥� in Saskatoon has been hit with $17,000 in fines and victim impact surcharge, as well as a restitution order of almost $7,000 for selling vehicles without a licence.
That鈥檚 according to the Saskatchewan Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority (FCAA) on Nov. 5.
In Saskatchewan it is illegal for an individual to carry on business as a vehicle dealer by purchasing and selling vehicles to consumers without a licence.聽This activity is known as 鈥渃urbing鈥� or 鈥渃urbsiding鈥� and the Financial and Consumer Affairs Authority (FCAA) is responsible for regulating this activity.
In September 2020, Rodney J. Evason, a vehicle dealer operating without a licence (i.e. a curber), pleaded guilty to 13 offences contrary to聽The Consumer Protection and Business Practices Act聽and聽The Consumer Protection and Business Regulations.聽Evason鈥檚 unlawful activities included selling vehicles to consumers without a licence, knowingly making misleading statements to consumers in respect to material facts and making false claims.聽Evason was fined more than $17,000 including victim surcharge fees and was ordered to pay nearly $7,000 in restitution to one of his victims.
Last year, the FCAA received information about Evason鈥檚 curbing activities.聽On at least two occasions, Evason was directed by the FCAA to cease and desist these activities, but he continued to purchase and sell vehicles without a licence.聽After an investigation by the FCAA, Evason was charged. In June 2019, a warrant was issued for his arrest and in March 2020, Saskatoon City Police executed that warrant.
The FCAA noted curbers often pose as private sellers who commonly misrepresent the vehicles they sell and may not disclose the vehicle鈥檚 history to a buyer.聽The聽act聽requires all vehicle dealers to be licensed. The purpose of the licensing regime is to provide protection for consumers and outline obligations for industry.
The FCAA鈥檚 website offers several tips for spotting a curber.
First, the documentation does not match. Compare their ID to the vehicle registration form (don鈥檛 accept a photocopy). If the seller鈥檚 ID doesn鈥檛 match the registration, be careful, as this is a red flag.
Second, if the vehicle is being sold below market value, there may be an issue. Vehicles for sale are often priced below market value. If the price seems 鈥渢o good to be true,鈥� that鈥檚 also a red flag.
Is this vehicle sold under multiple listings? Is the same phone number featured along with different names and multiple vehicle listings in ads? This might be a curber vehicle, the FCAA noted.
Fourth, curbers often refuse to allow a vehicle inspection by a mechanic. This is a red flag.
If they want to meet at a coffee shop or the mall, look out. Curbers do not want people to know where they live or do business, so some curbers may insist on meeting at coffee shops or mall parking lots to show the vehicle and finalize the sale.
If it鈥檚 cash sales only, that might be another clue. Curbers love cash sales, the FCAA said. Cash is hard to track and leaves no paper trail.
And if they have a sob story to tell, look out. 鈥淐urbers use sob stories to play a person鈥檚 general good nature and kindness. They will use these stories to rush the sale, using guilt and sympathy to keep a person distracted from evaluating the vehicle properly,鈥� the website noted.
