AAA Issues Halloween Safety Tips as $58K Car Scam Spurs DMV Probe

AAA Northern California issued a Halloween evening road safety advisory urging motorists and families to take extra precautions between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m., as reported by Claycord, while in Southern California the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) are investigating how a fraudulent vehicle title cleared in-person DMV verification in a $58,000 car scam reported by Leanne Suter at ABC7 News.

AAA Northern California's Halloween Pedestrian and Driver Guidance

According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), young pedestrians between ages 5 and 14 face a risk 4 times higher on Halloween evening than on any other night of the year, with the highest risk occurring between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m.

"Earlier nightfall, dark costumes, heavy foot traffic, and distracted drivers create a dangerous mix on Halloween," said Cynthia Harris, spokesperson for AAA Northern California, who urged both drivers and parents to plan ahead before heading into residential neighborhoods.

AAA Northern California outlined specific safety recommendations for motorists and trick-or-treaters:

• Guidance for Motorists: Drive at least 5 mph below the posted speed limit in residential neighborhoods; watch continuously for children crossing mid-block or emerging between parked cars; eliminate phone and in-car distractions; buckle up; and arrange a designated sober driver, rideshare, or public transit if celebrating with alcohol or cannabis.
• Guidance for Parents and Trick-or-Treaters: Provide Adult supervision for trick-or-treaters under age 12; add retro-reflective tape to costumes and trick-or-treat bags and carry flashlights or glow sticks; choose light-colored costumes and nontoxic face paint instead of masks that can block peripheral vision; and walk on sidewalks while crossing only at street corners and crosswalks after making eye contact with drivers.

California DMV and LAPD Investigate $58,000 Autotrader Title Scam

In Los Angeles, high school senior Arrod Berjis lost $58,000 — representing 4 years of savings set aside for college — after purchasing a 2019 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG advertised on Autotrader by a seller who stated he was moving out of the country.

Before handing over any funds, Berjis and his father, Massoud Berjis, reviewed the vehicle's Carfax report and met the seller inside a California DMV office, where a DMV employee inspected the paperwork, verified the title, and completed the transfer into the family's name.

After spending 3 months repairing and upgrading the vehicle, Berjis arranged to sell the 2019 Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG to a new buyer for $75,000. Shortly before the sale could close, however, the car was towed from the family's driveway on orders from online auto retailer Carvana.

Law enforcement investigators later determined that the seller had purchased the vehicle from Carvana and used forged documents to make the title appear clean and lien-free. In a statement to ABC7 News, the California DMV acknowledged that the transaction involved fraud and confirmed that a lien on the vehicle had been overlooked during processing. Both the LAPD and the California DMV are investigating the incident, and the Berjis family is urging private-party vehicle buyers to independently verify lien status directly with prior institutional sellers before completing high-value purchases.