A Georgia woman has been extradited to Florida after investigators say four buyers in multiple states sent a combined $44,850 for vehicles or a boat advertised online that were never delivered.
Dakota Burchfield, 31, was extradited from Douglasville, Georgia, to Marion County on September 16, according to WCJB. She is being held at the Marion County Jail on $95,000 bond.
The investigation began August 1 after a Marion County business owner reported paying for a dump truck advertised online. The buyer had found the listing July 16 and wired $17,000 to a bank account in Burchfield’s name, but deputies say the truck never arrived.
A detective’s review of that account subsequently led investigators to three other buyers in Florida, Tennessee and Wyoming. The charges against Burchfield are accusations and have not resulted in a conviction.
Bank Surveillance Showed Burchfield Opening the Account
A Marion County Sheriff’s Office property crimes detective subpoenaed records from Chase Bank while tracing the business owner’s payment.
Investigators obtained surveillance footage that they say showed Burchfield opening the receiving account in July 2026. A review of its transaction history then revealed other wire transfers that detectives considered suspicious.
Following those payments led investigators to people who reported paying for other advertised property that they never received.
Three More Buyers Were Identified in Other States
Deputies identified another buyer in Walton County, Florida, along with victims in Tennessee and Wyoming. Authorities said their transactions involved vehicles or a boat.
The available police account does not specify how much each of those three buyers sent, which individual advertisements they responded to or which buyer was seeking the boat.
Marion County detectives shared their findings with law enforcement agencies in the other jurisdictions. Authorities have not announced whether additional buyers have been identified or whether any of the money has been recovered.
Burchfield Faces Five Fraud Related Charges
Burchfield was arrested on a warrant charging her with using a computer to defraud to obtain property, two counts of defrauding a person over the age of 65 and two counts of using a two way communication device to facilitate a felony, according to deputies.
The publicly available reporting does not indicate that she has entered a plea. Her case remains pending in Florida following the extradition.
Online Vehicle Buyers Should Verify the Seller Before Wiring Money
The Federal Trade Commission recently warned about online vehicle schemes in which scammers collect upfront payments for cars buyers never receive.
The FTC recommends seeing both the vehicle and seller in person when possible. If distance makes that impractical, a buyer can arrange an independent mobile inspection and reconsider the transaction if the seller refuses to allow one.
Before sending a large payment, buyers can also independently verify the seller’s identity, request the vehicle identification number and confirm that the person offering the vehicle actually has authority to sell it. Copies of the advertisement, messages, photographs and payment instructions should be preserved.
The FTC specifically warns consumers to walk away when a purported vehicle seller insists on an upfront payment by wire transfer only. Anyone who has already wired money and suspects fraud should contact the financial institution immediately to ask whether the transaction can still be stopped or recovered and report the suspected scam to law enforcement and the FTC.