Just as there are scams targeting those who are buying vehicles, particularly online, there are also scammers who set their sights on people who are selling vehicles. A variety of scams exist that target people who are selling vehicles online and elsewhere. At Trusted Sale, we do everything we can to help prevent scams but we also want to make sellers aware of common scams so that they too can identify when something seems suspicious.
Vehicle History Report Scammers
Recently, a new scam has come to the attention of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) that targets vehicle sellers. In this scam, people who have advertised their car for sale online receive calls or texts from potential buyers who say that they are interested in purchasing the vehicle, but first, want to see the vehicle history report. They request that the seller obtain the report from a website link the interested potential buyer provides. At this website, the seller is asked to enter personal information and pay $20 via credit card for the report. The seller gets the report and sends it to the so-called interested buyer, never hearing from that “buyer” again.
The main clue here that this is a scam is the website link that the so-called buyer provides. If the link ends in .vin, watch out. This site could be a scam designed to obtain your personal and credit card information, which the scammers then use for their own benefit. It might also be for lead generation, in which the scammers sell your information to marketers.
The best way to avoid becoming a victim of this type of scam is to only obtain a vehicle history report from well-known, reputable sites with which you are familiar. When you sell your vehicle through Trusted Sale, we provide the vehicle report for you, free of charge – so you don’t have to worry one bit about this common scam.
Common Classified Ads Scammers
Another common scam targeting people selling cars occurs on Craigslist and within other classified ad sites (both online and in print).
How can you protect yourself from falling victim to such scammers?
Make sure to speak with the buyer directly prior to meeting them. Don’t let the buyer hide behind text or email. Obtain and research the buyer’s name and contact information on the Internet ahead of time in order to get as much information about them as you can prior to meeting them in person.
If you sell through Trusted Sale, we can verify the buyer’s identity to ensure that you know exactly who you are meeting with. We also facilitate communication with the buyer and we handle the transaction to ensure that you don’t walk away empty-handed.
Location, Location, Location
Beware of someone you meet on Craigslist or via classified ads who is interested in purchasing your car but want to meet you in a private location. Crimes have occurred when sellers have gone to meet with so-called buyers in non-public locations.
Meet up in safe spaces – such as at a mechanic, where you can have the vehicle inspected in front of the buyer – while meeting in a public place; or in front of a police station; or in a public – commonly frequented parking lot, such as a large box store.
Make sure to meet the prospective buyer in a safe, public area. If possible, choose an area that has video surveillance cameras. Also, try not to meet a prospective buyer alone- take a family member or friend with you to the meeting.
Strange Financing Requests
Reject any weird financing requests from the buyer. These include the buyer wanting to send you a personal check with extra money included for you to ship the car. By the time you have shipped the car to the buyer, the check has bounced, and you are left with no car and no money to show for it. It’s best to let buyers know upfront that you will only accept cash for these types of sales.
Sometimes buyers offer to send you too much money, then want you to forward the money on to someone else. This is always a scam.
Be really careful with payment options, as these are the most common scams and sometimes the most difficult to detect. If you sell through Trusted Sale, we manage the whole transaction and the passing of money – to ensure you are protected.
Shipping a Vehicle
Unfortunately, most requests to ship a vehicle are typically scams. Maybe not always – but most often. Don’t ever agree to ship a vehicle to another country. Many of these requests, no matter how legitimate they sound, are scams.
It can be so easy to get caught up in the excitement of a sale that sometimes we let things slide, or justify the rationale in our minds. Don’t be too eager to close a deal that you miss warning signs. If the deal seems too good to be true or the sale goes through too easily, it probably is.
With a little forethought, you can successfully sell your vehicle online or in the classified ads. Just make sure to avoid scams like the ones above!