A 56‑year‑old disabled Middletown man says what began as a promising Facebook Marketplace car deal in late 2024 spiraled into a costly financial nightmare — leaving him without a truck, but still responsible for thousands of dollars in loan and insurance payments.

Ralph Pezzullo says the deal came together after his brother spotted a pickup truck listed on Facebook Marketplace that appeared to be a good value. Pezzullo says he traveled to the Bronx to meet the seller, who identified himself only as “Jay.”

According to Pezzullo, he took out an auto loan, picked up the truck, and drove it home the same day. But he says the vehicle broke down almost immediately.

“I drove it home. It broke down,” Pezzullo said. “He came a couple days later to pick it up and I never heard from him again. He just ghosted me.”

Pezzullo says the seller initially stayed in contact, offering explanations and excuses for why the truck was not being returned. But over time, communication stopped entirely.

“He said he was in California, then Florida — all over the world,” Pezzullo said. “Then he just stopped answering.”

Nearly two years later, Pezzullo says he still has not seen the truck again.

Sales documents reviewed by News 12 appear to link the transaction to Imporium Auto LLC, a business registered in Arkansas, even though Pezzullo says he believed he was dealing directly with an individual seller.

Pezzullo says Imporium Auto LLC received the loan funds tied to the purchase. News 12 located a phone number publicly associated with the business and placed a call. The person who answered said they did not speak English. That number was later provided to Pezzullo, who shared it with Middletown police.

Pezzullo says police contacted the business using an interpreter and were told the company had no involvement in the sale.

“They said they never sold me the vehicle,” Pezzullo said. “But I know his voice. It’s definitely him.”

Middletown police confirm the company denied involvement. Officers say the situation is considered a civil matter rather than a criminal case, noting Pezzullo voluntarily handed the truck back to the seller, believing it was being repaired. Police also say the title does not include Pezzullo’s signature, which further complicates the case.

Authorities add that New York’s Lemon Law does not apply because the business involved is registered out of state. The law applies only to vehicles purchased from licensed New York dealers and focuses on repair disputes rather than issues involving ownership or possession.

Pezzullo estimates he paid about $18,500 for the truck, plus prepaid insurance, bringing his total cost to roughly $23,000. Because the loan is classified as an auto loan, he says his bank still requires insurance coverage — even though the truck is gone.

“They’re putting insurance on a vehicle I don’t even have,” he said.

Pezzullo says the financial burden has been especially difficult because he is disabled and living on limited income. He says serious medical issues, including repeated hospitalizations, delayed him from coming forward sooner about what happened.

“I was in the hospital off and on for a year,” he said.

Federal authorities warn that online vehicle purchase scams impact thousands of buyers nationwide each year, with many cases never reported — making the full scope of the problem difficult to track.

Pezzullo says he hopes sharing his experience will serve as a warning to others considering buying a vehicle online.

“I’d be very careful,” he said. “You can’t trust anybody anymore.”