- How to Avoid Fake Car Dealership Scams
What You Need to Know
Car dealer cloning scams are on the rise, with fraudsters creating fake dealership websites and social media accounts that closely mimic real businesses. These cloned sites use photos, names, and even employee identities from legitimate dealers to appear authentic. Scammers often advertise luxury or in-demand vehicles at unusually low prices to lure in buyers. Victims are asked to wire large payments for cars that don’t exist—money that becomes nearly impossible to recover. In one case, a Pennsylvania woman lost $45,000 after wiring money to a scammer posing as a legitimate dealer on a fake website that stole the identity of a real Nebraska dealership owner.
What You Should Do
To protect yourself from car dealer cloning scams, follow these key steps:
✅ Research the dealership: Look up the dealer’s contact info independently—don’t rely on the info from the ad or website. Confirm they’re registered with your state’s Department of Transportation.
✅ Inspect before you buy: Never purchase a car without seeing it in person or having someone inspect it for you.
✅ Verify the payment recipient: If wiring funds, ask the seller’s bank to confirm the company’s identity before you send anything.
✅ Check the domain name: Look for subtle misspellings or unrelated web addresses—these can signal a fake site.
✅ Run a VIN report: Use a trusted VIN check tool (like VINAudit) to confirm car details and ownership.
✅ Use online tools:
Google Safe Browsing Transparency Report – See if a website has been flagged as unsafe.
Whois Domain Lookup – Check how long the site has existed and who owns it.
Stay skeptical of “too good to be true” deals. A little research can save you thousands—and prevent you from becoming the next victim.
Think you are being scammed? Call our scam hotline or email us for help:
(801)-724-6211
scamwatch@invisus.com
