Stolen cars sold through Facebook? Here’s how to stay away from a raw deal

The Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) in New York recently issued a warning that specifically points out the risks of purchasing pre-owned vehicles from Facebook, but its guidelines provide a comprehensive guide on how to avoid fraud. Should not be given. Pointing to the ever-increasing number of cases when a citizen buys a stolen vehicle, the guidelines urge the public at large to conduct a thorough background check of both the vehicle and the person selling it.

The guidelines issued by the New York DMV are not strictly local and applicable to people anywhere in the world. So what can you learn from this?

inspect the vehicle in person

It is absolutely essential to inspect a pre-owned vehicle in person. Even better, take a mechanic to the inspection process. The fee you pay to this mechanic will be worth the effort to let him assess the condition of the vehicle as not every claim made may be completely true. And if selecting a pre-owned vehicle simply by looking at its photos on Facebook, this is an absolute must.

Check registration and chassis number

You got a steal deal on a pre-owned car, but what if it was a stolen vehicle in the first place? Neither offer is good enough to make jail time worth it. In such a case, immediately check the registration and chassis number of the selected vehicle. Although this can be done online, visit the nearest DMV – RTO in India – and formally apply for a history check. If the said vehicle was reported stolen, the records would immediately red flag it. Also ensure that even though everything looks correct, the registration number of the vehicle is the same as that mentioned in the sale documents.

avoid cash payment

It is also advised not to make any payment in hard cash. If and whenever possible, insist on check payment which can give you a time window to prevent a potentially fraudulent seller from getting your money. And if such a seller insists on not accepting a check, this may be another red flag in itself, even if it is not concrete evidence of suspicious activity.

It is mostly advisable to buy pre-owned vehicles from a trusted source or, even better, from the pre-owned businesses of the car manufacturers. In India, the pre-owned car business is still largely unorganized, although several digital-based companies like Spinny and Cars24 have simplified the process of both selling and buying vehicles.

Get information about upcoming cars in India, electric vehicles, upcoming bikes in India and cutting-edge technology that is changing the automotive landscape.

First publication date: 28 October 2024, 08:48 am IST