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A Queens man is accused of pretending he was a car salesman to scam a man out of thousands of dollars.
According to detectives, Navendra Balisingh, 22, met the victim at a place that wasn't the dealership but identified himself as an employee at Advantage Toyota of Valley Stream, located at 400 West Sunrise Highway.
Hoping to strike a deal on a new car, the unsuspecting 77-year-old man went with Balisingh to the dealership lot where the two reached a verbal agreement on Oct. 27, 2025, police said.
Balisingh is accused of driving the victim to a nearby Chase bank, where the man took out $4,700 for what he was told was a deposit on the car. The next day, Balisingh allegedly reached back out to the victim, asking for more money.
In total, the victim handed over $13,700, but never received the car.
Nassau County police arrested the Ozone Park man on Monday.
He pleaded not guilty to one count of third degree grand larceny. The judge issued an order of protection and Balisingh was released without bail, according to court records.
The Federal Trade Commission says there are signs you should look for to help you identify if a situation is a scam. This includes a person pretending to be from an organization you know, feeling pressured to act immediately and being told to pay in a specific way.
Experts recommend you take a step back from a situation that feels high-pressure, stop and talk to someone you trust, never hand over money and always verify the identity of the person you're interacting with.
Attorney for Advantage Toyota John Gentile released a statement:

The gentleman who is accused of this fraud is not affiliated with and never has been employed by Advantage Toyota. Anyone who is approached by someone claiming to be a salesperson by any car dealership should immediately contact the dealership and request to speak with the General Manager to confirm whether or not the person who has contacted them is actually an employee with the dealership. They should also explain to the dealership what the alleged salesperson requested of them, as it is not a common practice of any dealership to meet a customer off premises and take money from a customer without a corresponding bill of sale.

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