Andrey Shvets

A Harvest couple is accused of deceiving car buyers by selling totaled vehicles with forged titles, Limestone County Sheriff’s Office announced Friday.

The title-washing scam was first reported Oct. 1, when an LCSO investigator spoke to a family who believed they’d been scammed into buying a car with a forged Alabama title, Sheriff’s Office spokesman Stephen Young said.

According to Young, the victims had met 42-year-old Andrey Shvets and 35-year-old Iryna Shvets at their Lantz Court residence in 2017 to look at a 2016 Nissan Maxima the Shvets had advertised online for $25,999. Iryna claimed they were selling the vehicle to get a larger one and other than a cracked and replaced windshield, the Maxima had a clean title with no damage.

The victims purchased the vehicle and received a clean Alabama title, Young said, but when they tried to sell the car in June, they discovered the vehicle identification number had a salvage title history.

“The vehicle had been in an accident in Mississippi and was declared a total loss before the Shvets purchased it,” Young said. “Investigators quickly discovered a pattern with the Shvets in the sale of many vehicles; in fact, the vehicle purchased by the victims is still listed for sale online by the Shvets, even though it was sold nearly a year ago.”

The Shvets, who live in the 14000 block of Lantz Circle, were arrested Thursday evening. Each is charged with first-degree theft by deception, possession of a forged or altered title and deceptive business practices. They were released from the Limestone County Jail on $8,500 bond each.

Investigators believe other victims may be unknowingly driving a total loss vehicle purchased from the Shvets.

“If you suspect you may be the victim of a title-washing scam, you should first search your vehicle’s VIN on the internet for its history,” he said. “If you have a clean title but a salvage or rebuilt history is attached to the VIN, contact law enforcement.”