A sophisticated auto theft crime ring is targeting Spanish-speaking victims in Southern California, according to the Irvine Police Department.

Over the past year, ten people who do not reside in Irvine have been carjacked or have had their cars stolen after responding to help-wanted advertisements on Facebook.

In recent cases, the suspects asked the victims to drive cash to Bakersfield and agreed to pay them up to $12,000. When victims were lured to Irvine, they were carjacked with a gun or by threats of violence. Many of the stolen cars were driven across the border into Mexico.

The Irvine Police Department urges everyone to be cautious when answering help-wanted advertisements. If you have been a victim, please make sure you have reported the incident to your local police department.

If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.