Tips to avoid used car scams

If you’re buying a used car online, you need to do your homework.

Online garage sales, or social media marketplaces, are a popular place to sell cars. But before sending any money, make sure it’s legitimate.

Step one: perform a reverse image search on Google.

Scammers can take pictures from dealership websites and use them as their own.

Next, ask for a VIN number, and research it to make sure it matches the make and model.

Also, ask to see the car in person, and be on the lookout for excuses as to why they can’t.

“Usually the reason is,’Oh my husbands deployed…I’m about to be deployed…or I’m sick and I can’t move around,'” said identity theft expert Carrie Kerskie.

If you can’t see the car in person, move on. If the car is real and everything appears OK, consider paying a mechanic to check it out.