If you are not careful, you may become a victim of a car scam. PRNewswire reports that a scammer on the mobile app OfferUp has successfully sold his victim a stolen car. The crime was discovered and reported much too late, setting the victim back $20,000, with no possibility of regaining the money or the car.
How the scam worked
The scammer put the truck on sale in the app. He used a VIN from an identical truck, which passed the cursory inspection and came out clean. The victim test-drove the car and paid the whole sum in cash. However, when he tried to register the car, he was told that the title was fake. After the investigation, it turned out, the VIN belonged to another truck and was glued on top of three other VINs. To make things worse, the investigators found a tracking device in the car. It is possible the scammer intended to steal the car back and sell it again, using another fake VIN.
Use VIN decoding to avoid being scammed
There is a simple way to avoid being duped. ESP Data Solutions, Inc. is a company that offers advanced VIN decoding to help you check the car you want to buy against any irregularities. You need only the VIN – which can be found in a few places, for example, on the windshield on the driver’s side or on the registration card. VIN decoding can give you a plethora of useful information about the car – with just the number alone.
ESP Data Solutions, Inc. also offers VIN decoding services for car dealers, insurance companies, and others. They also provide this service online: https://www.vinlink.com. Check out the VIN decoding services and always be on top in any car deal you ever make.