While purchasing a new or pre-owned vehicle online has become a common and popular practice, so has online vehicle sale fraud!
The truck looks immaculate…just what you have been looking for! Low mileage, original owner, no accidents…a dream come true! The price, based upon mileage and condition, seems incredible.
Great deals on cars and trucks do exist. Many online vehicle purchasers swear by the process and have found incredible bargains on the internet. But everything that glitters is not gold.
Criminals regularly post false advertisements and photographs of vehicles that are not for sale and usually belong to someone else. You will receive additional photos, upon request, along with a heart-wrenching story of why they need to sell their beloved vehicle at a bargain price.
- “It was Aunt Tilly’s favorite…rest her soul!”
- “I received it as part of a divorce settlement and have no use for it.”
- “My brother is being deployed overseas and the car will just be sitting here.”
Often, criminals use reputable companies to initially lure you in…such as eBay, Facebook Marketplace or other online selling sites…leading the buyer to believe that the deal is legitimate.
This is when the transaction begins to go sideways…You may be sent a third-party toll-free number, asked to pay with gift cards or asked to wire money. You may be asked to send a small amount, to serve as a deposit, to ensure that it isn’t sold to someone else.
Exercise extreme caution!
- Ask for the vehicle identification number (VIN) and current license plate information.
- Insist on inspecting the vehicle IN PERSON prior to purchase.
- Inspect title and lien information prior to making any payment or deposit.
Over a three-year period, the FBI has received nearly 30,000 complaints of fraudulent vehicle sales exceeding $57,000,000. Don’t be the next victim!
