Thieves and scammers are trying everything they can to steal your car. Here are some of the red flags to watch out for when selling.
It seems there’s a trending story on car thefts happening on an almost weekly basis these days.
From car dealerships getting robbed of $600,000 worth of Dodge Challenger Hellcats to four Ford Mustang GT500s getting stolen directly from the Flat Rock Assembly Plant, thieves are getting more and more brazen – particularly with high-end muscle and sports cars.
However, even though many thieves are now using more advanced technology to bypass car security, there are still those out there who are simply trying to scam you out of your vehicle.
YouTuber Do It With Dan found this out when trying to sell his 2020 Chevrolet Corvette C8, and shares what happened in his latest video.
Can You Steal A C8 Corvette? It Can, If You’re Not Careful
The first theft attempt came from a guy Dan had been speaking with for a while and who agreed to come from North Carolina to buy the car. The first red flag Dan encountered was that the prospective buyer didn’t even attempt to negotiate with him on the price. Dan decided to go ahead with the sale anyway as he was coming to buy the car in person.
However, the buyer claimed he was going to purchase the car with a certified check. Fortunately, Dan had enlisted a friend to help him sort out the financial details and immediately flagged this up.
Banks accept these checks as cash payments. However, scammers can easily forge certified checks. If the checks fail to clear after a few days, you will lose the money and by this time your car will be long gone.
What Scams To Look Out For When Selling A Car
Dan says this is something that has resulted in many people losing their cars or even their homes. The buyer then claimed he forgot the check, and then asked to take the car for a test drive. Dan said he could ride in the passenger seat and noted that he was very uncomfortable the whole time. After which, Dan never heard from him again.
The second theft attempt was seemingly a full-blown grand theft auto. However, Dan says that the guy in question “allegedly” tried to drive away in the car, and he can’t say any more for legal reasons.
The last attempt was perhaps the most convoluted and bizarre. Dan agreed to take a non-refundable $1000 deposit to secure the car. Dan then used $750 of that to get the car serviced, and then the buyer attempted to renegotiate a discount on the car for travel and flight costs.
The buyer then claimed he couldn’t get the finance rate he wanted for the car, backed out of the deal, and then put in an official PayPal claim against Dan for withholding his deposit.
Dan wasn’t really sure what to make of that but has said that whether it’s time-wasters or scammers, selling his Corvette has been unbelievably difficult.
