Images via ferrari_1966/Instagram
Before he occupied a jail cell in glamorous Lower Buckeye, Arizona, once-renowned and now-infamous mechanic Donnie Callaway was living the high life. Or at least he was doing so through social media posts portraying him enjoying some of the finer things in life. All that, like much of the work he was doing on classic Ferraris and other Italian cars, turned out to be a giant fabrication.
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Callaway’s web of lies started to unravel all thanks to a single transaction involving a collector in Arizona. That unnamed person was suspicious for untold reasons that Callaway didn’t actually own the two Ferraris he was trying to sell to his intended victim, as reported by Bloomberg.
It’s incredibly common for people to sell stolen classic cars, thanks in part to spotty records and other details which make the act so much easier. For a serious collector this is a thing to always be cautious about, either from firsthand experience or hearing the stories of others’ suffering.
Likely upset and wanting justice done, the unnamed collector arranged for what some are calling a “sting operation” to prove Callaway was engaging in criminal fraud. But nobody is spilling the beans on how it was done, which might be for the best.
Now Callaway is facing charges for theft, trafficking stolen property, forgery, and fraud with a $400,000 cash bond. While he’s considered innocent until proven guilty, and a trial is scheduled for mid-August, many are distancing themselves from the man.
Those claiming they were taken advantage of by Callaway, alleging he charged multiple times more for a job than was initially agreed, among other practices, are now pouring out to tell their stories. We have no way of authenticating anything they say but suspect at least some will be the focus of the upcoming trial.
Others have taken to chat forums and social media to express their support for Callaway and their belief he’s innocent.
As pointed out by Bloomberg, Callaway was lauded by industry bigwigs like Jay Leno and Matt Farah, including some who aren’t household names but have incredible influence. And while many still think the man was a brilliant mechanic, this just exposes how even experts can be duped by an especially adept conman.
If people who know so much about cars can be tricked by someone, what chance do you have? The answer is you just have to know the signs of fraud, and that can be tricky. We could list them out, but fraudsters read articles like this and adapt their methods accordingly.
The best advice we can give is to trust your gut. We know that might sound foolish to some, but you often know deep down inside when something doesn’t seem right.
Images via ferrari_1966/Instagram
