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2. How Does The
Craigslist-Used-Car-For-Sale Scam Work?
Believe it or not,
but you’ll never know that you’ve acquired a used vehicle from a dealer
until the deal is done. So, you may or may not realize you’ve been
scammed from the Craigslist-Used-Car-For-Sale ad. Here’s a
rundown of what generally happens:
1 – You notice a Craigslist ad about an automobile you’re interested in
buying and call the seller.
2
– You agree to see the seller at a private home where he/she tells you
why they’re selling the vehicle, never mentioning they are a dealer.
3 - The vehicle’s history report lays to rest your suspicions about the
vehicle.
4 – You’re interested but decide to take the vehicle to your trusted
mechanic, as nothing is reported about the current owner.
5
– Car history reports are not frauds. It’s just highly probable that
the dealer pulled the report before he/she purchased it, making the
transaction between the dealer and previous owner not noted.
6 – You
purchase the vehicle and the dealer assists you to get the vehicle in
your name. The final paperwork comes in and that’s when you notice the
Craigslist-Used-Car-For-Sale scam: the seller was really a dealer.
3. Why Do Dealers Resort To The
Craigslist Used-Car For Sale Scam
Why would dealers resort to this sort of tactic just to sell
a
vehicle? Based on the Used Car Rule found on the website of the Federal
Trade Commission (FTC), the dealer must have a Buyer’s Guide on all
their used vehicles. The Buyer’s Guide has a significant amount of need
to know information including:
1 – Whether or not there is warranty.
2 – How much the dealer must pay in repairs under the warranty.
3 – Verbal promises are much harder to enforce.
4 – Problems to watch for including the electrical and mechanical
systems.
It also informs persons to do the following things:
1 – Get all the seller’s promises in writing.
2 – Keep hold of the Buyer’s Guide as a reference even after the sale.
3 – Have the vehicle examined by your own mechanic before you purchase
it.
The
FTC wants buyers to understand that purchasing an automobile from a
private seller is vastly different than buying one from a
dealer.
After all, private sales are typically “as is”. So, if something goes
wrong with the vehicle, you’re stuck fixing and paying for it.
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It’s pretty easy to
understand why dealers would pose as private sellers. After all, they’d
avoid the headaches dealers have when listing a
Craigslist-Used-Car-For-Sale ad. On top of that, it’s difficult to
learn of any complaints that have been reported about them to the
Better Business Bureau.
It’s also important to note that
Craigslist isn’t the only website with this kind of problem. However,
Craigslist is rampant with many kinds of scams including the
Craigslist-Used-Car-For-Sale scam. Good luck!
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