A vehicle dealership in Villa Elisa is at the center of a Public Prosecutor's Office investigation into a scam scheme that allegedly harmed dozens of buyers. The company, registered as Nesmar SRL and operating under the trade name Autos do Oeste, changed its corporate name every two months, adopting denominations such as Sagitario Motors and Punta del Este, to hinder legal action.
According to the investigation, the fraud consisted of advertising vehicles on social networks such as TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram, with prices well below market value and attractive payment conditions — down payment from G. 2,250,000 and installments between G. 890,000 and G. 1,100,000 in 50 to 60 installments. The promise was of “immediate delivery.” However, upon signing the contract, victims discovered that vehicle delivery would only occur after full payment, in five years.
Subcommissioner Ángel Vera, Chief of Staff of the Financial Crimes Department, explained that the sellers confiscated customers' cell phones at the entrance, claiming company policy, and did not allow test-driving the vehicles, under the pretext of low battery or being recently imported. “The first irregularity should already draw people's attention,” he warned.
The contracts, in fine print, included “planned sale” clauses and, in some cases, customers were recorded declaring agreement. After the initial payment, the company informed that the credit had not been approved and refused to refund the money, constituting, according to the Prosecutor's Office, an “apparent scam.”
In April 2026, a fiscal-police task force carried out a raid on the dealership, seizing 34 vehicles, 30 seller cell phones, and documentation. Prosecutor Andrea Ríos, who was handling the case, was recused and temporarily replaced by Fany Aguilera. The Public Prosecutor's Office awaits the results of forensic examinations on the devices and closed-circuit images to compare the victims' versions.
One of the victims, who traveled from San Pedro to Villa Elisa to make the purchase, reported that she was expecting a child and that the “dream was to have a car.” To date, more than 40 complaints have been formalized since October 2025.