Investigators in Mercer County say 21 new car owners fell victim to a scam when trying to file paperwork with the state.
 
Ronald Scofield was a notary taking money from the new car owners but never submitting the title and registration paperwork to PennDOT. Investigators say he took $5,528.50 over the course of three years.
 
Without paperwork being submitted, if someone is pulled over the car would come up in the previous owner's name, causing problems for the driver.
 
“If an officer thinks that it looks suspicious…they could issue fines or possibly even try to impound the vehicle or make you walk home,” Christina Gill Roseman, an attorney with Roseman Law said.
 
Attorney Gill Roseman said she usually sees title delays on the dealer side, not from notaries. In Ohio, dealers have 40 days to file paperwork and in Pennsylvania, 20 days, according to Gill Roseman. If drivers don’t see their new registration soon after that it could be a red flag.
 
“If there's a problem with the odometer or if the vehicle hasn't been paid off yet by the prior owner when it should've been or if there’s a title brand,” Attorney Gill Roseman said.
 
But even without the paperwork, attorney Mark Malone says drivers wouldn't have issues in situations like an accident.
 
“If these new purchasers even if they’re not the registered owner if they have valid insurance on it they should still be covered,” Malone with Morgan & Morgan Law said.
 
And with the right paper trail the previous owner who’s still listed on the title could also be in the clear.
 
“If they can prove like hey theirs a bill of sale here and I sold the vehicle and I received the money I don't control this vehicle anymore there shouldn’t be any long term liability,” Malone said.
 
To avoid being scammed attorneys recommend registering the car with PennDOT or ODOT directly or a free notary.
 
According to Pennsylvania State Troopers, Scofield is charged with theft by failure to make disposition of funds, a third-degree felony, along with several other zoning violations found during PSP's investigation.