A used car purchase can cost a lot and represents the perfect opportunity for a scammer to score a few thousand dollars, using the anonymity of the Internet to hide their tracks. You don’t want to end up taking a paycheck advance out to buy the car of your dreams only to find out that your money is gone and the car is nowhere in sight. There are few things to keep in mind when making a car purchase online.
Auction Sites
Auction sites can provide a thrill of the bidding process, but are also ripe for scamming operations. It depends on the site whether they do a title check, but many may be doing bare bones title checks. You want to be able to run your own title check on the car before you bid on it using the VIN number provided. Autocheck is a good site to run the title check and a history report. Read the report to see if it matches the description being put up as the car that is on auction. You may find them listing one VIN number and a totally different car description, showing they are using a bait and switch tactic. Use an escrow service so that funds are not paid until you take delivery of the car. Always look at shipping costs as they can add thousands to your final bid price.
Private Sites
Sites like Craigslist, Facebook, or even a private website can be used by private sellers to advertise a used car. Use Autocheck again to verify the condition of the car and the car’s past history. Try to get a photo of the VIN number to make sure it is the right one. Do not agree to any sales where the vendor promises to deliver the car if you pay for it now or put up a deposit now. The car should always be delivered first before any money changes hands.
A used car purchase can cost a lot and represents the perfect opportunity for a scammer to score a few thousand dollars, using the anonymity of the Internet to hide their tracks. You don’t want to end up taking a paycheck advance out to buy the car of your dreams only to find out that your money is gone and the car is nowhere in sight. There are few things to keep in mind when making a car purchase online.Auction SitesAuction sites can provide a thrill of the bidding process, but are also ripe for scamming operations. It depends on the site whether they do a title check, but many may be doing bare bones title checks. You want to be able to run your own title check on the car before you bid on it using the VIN number provided. Autocheck is a good site to run the title check and a history report. Read the report to see if it matches the description being put up as the car that is on auction. You may find them listing one VIN number and a totally different car description, showing they are using a bait and switch tactic. Use an escrow service so that funds are not paid until you take delivery of the car. Always look at shipping costs as they can add thousands to your final bid price.Private SitesSites like Craigslist, Facebook, or even a private website can be used by private sellers to advertise a used car. Use Autocheck again to verify the condition of the car and the car’s past history. Try to get a photo of the VIN number to make sure it is the right one. Do not agree to any sales where the vendor promises to deliver the car if you pay for it now or put up a deposit now. The car should always be delivered first before any money changes hands.

June 14th, 2011
admin
Posted in
Tags: