Steer Clear Of Clone Cars

Buying a used car is not limited to choosing a car model you like and bargaining for the price you’d like to pay for it. You also need to look out for car scams perpetrated by dealers looking to dupe prospective buyers of used cars. One of such scams is car identity theft.

What is car identity theft?

Car identity theft, also known as car cloning or VIN fraud, is the act of stealing the Vehicle Identification Number or VIN of a legally registered car and using it to disguise the identity of a stolen car.

Using car cloning, stolen cars can be sold to unwary customers to earn substantial amounts of money. Even if the buyer pays several thousand dollars for the car, it would be confiscated by the police as soon as it is discovered that the car was stolen. Nobody is liable to reimburse the money spent by you to buy the used car and you may also have to become part of the associated criminal investigation.

How to avoid buying a used stolen car

·        Examine the vehicle history report of the used car for sale.

·        Check the VIN plate on the dashboard for any signs of tampering such as inexplicable scratches.

·        See that the VINs on the dashboard, driver’s door sticker, car frame, vehicle title and the service history documents match.

·        Beware of prices that seem too good to be true. If the car is being sold for a considerably less price than comparable makes and models, it may be a sign to watch out for.

·        When buying a used car for sale, review the vehicle title carefully for incorrect spellings or other signs that may indicate a forged document.

·        Get the car examined by a qualified mechanic to tell for signs of car identity theft that you may be unable to identify.

Buying a car that has been cloned could turn out to be your worst nightmare. After all, nobody wants to spend their hard-earned money on a stolen car, do they?

When you are looking for a used car for sale, make sure that you buy only from an authorized car dealership and that you review the car’s documents and the car itself with careful scrutiny.