Car Shopping Online Still Dangerous Thanks To Used Car Scams

Rip-off artists and thieves are like the mythical Hydra; for every one that's sent to prison, another springs up in its place. Unfortunately, that's only a fantasy and we can't go around lopping people's heads off for ripping somebody else off. In spite of action taken, a pack of used car frauds are working at any moment online, so shoppers have to be careful while car shopping online.

Seeing used car scams more often

There are not a great deal of crooks normally, except in Washington D.C. and Wall Street where there are a lot more crooks than not. No matter what the business is, there will always be crooks attempting to scam everyone who is susceptible.

One common scam is used car frauds, according to USA Today, specifically online car scams. The internet is the most common place where these swindles are turning up, as a prodigious number of Craigslist car cons and eBay car scams have been reported. The Internet Crime Complaint Center, part of the Department of Justice, reported 4,066 instances of a used car scam on the web in 2011, and victims lost an estimated $8.3 million. There were 14,000 comparable grievances to the ICCC between 2008 and 2010, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Victims have lost $4.9 million already this year according to ICCC grievances. There have been 1,685 grievances so far.

Internet makes it easier

Occasionally, used car dealers will use shady tricks such as the "the auto approval fell through" scam or trying to sell you an automobile that is completely wrecked. Most car dealers in Everett, WA to Florida are honest though, so you do not have to be too worried. Online frauds are unlikely that though.

It is much easier to scam online. The shady person puts an automobile up for sale, asks for the money to be sent upfront, and then the car never shows up.

Look for cons

Usually, the scam will post a bad story about why they are selling the car, such as divorce most of the time, according to USA Today. Then, the buyer will be emotionally manipulated into purchasing the car. Rushing a transaction is usually a scam of some sort.

There are a lot of late-model luxury car models used in scams right now, according to Daily Finance, and anything that is too good to be true is a scam, according to Bankrate.com. Keep in mind that occasionally prices are cheaper than normal but not abnormally low for scam artists too, according to USA Today.

Occasionally people will ask you to put the payment on a prepaid debit card or ask you to wire it with Western Union. These are both cons. Always stay away from emails promising that you won a free car, and it is always a scam if you are never able to meet the seller or test-drive the car.