Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and major car-selling sites have become popular and convenient platforms for selling cars in recent years. But they can also be a hotbed for fraud.
Matt Neff learned this firsthand when he tried to sell his classic 1948 Packard online.
The vintage car, with its distinctive steering column shifter and 1940s gangster style, quickly attracted attention.
"As soon as the ad went live, I got an immediate response," Neff said.
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What he didn't expect was to receive offers from three potential buyers – all of whom turned out to be fraudsters with different tactics.
Watch as a car seller describes the schemes he was targeted with:
Targeted by fake check fraud
The first buyer seemed overly eager but raised suspicions with his approach.
"He said I am extremely busy; I will send you a check, wait till the check clears, and we will arrange transportation," Neff said.
The buyer overnighted Neff a check for more than his asking price, requesting he send part of it to a shipping company – a major red flag.
"I said I am not going to spend any money until it clears your bank. And sure enough, 10 days later, it came back as a counterfeit check," Neff said.
Then targeted by vehicle history report scheme
The other two buyers used less obvious tactics. Both sent him bogus links to order vehicle history reports in an attempt to collect his personal information.
"When you get to the end of the report, it just takes you to PayPal, to part with your $49," Neff said.
Melanie McGovern with the Better Business Bureau says these are classic scams.
The fake vehicle history report is the most recent way car sellers are targeted. The sites may seem like CARFAX, but they are not.
"Make sure that you're vetting anybody who's trying to give you money. If you can stay local, stay local, have them come look at the vehicle. If they're asking you again for a vehicle history report, make sure you're using a reputable website, not the website that they're sending you," McGovern said.
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Having almost been burned three times, Neff decided maybe he should keep his old car.
"I could see how so many people could easily fall for this," Neff said.
Whether it's a classic car or just your everyday SUV, be cautious when using online classifieds to avoid becoming a victim of fraud.
That way you don't waste your money.
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This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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