"Curbstoners"

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WHAT ARE THE SIGNS THAT THIS IS A SCAM?

You contact a private seller that advertised a used car in the newspaper. The seller asks you to meet him/her in a vacant lot or along a street, where the car is parked. You are asked to pay in cash, and the title of the vehicle is not in the seller's name.



HOW CAN CONSUMERS PROTECT THEMSELVES?

If a seller asks you to pick the car up in a vacant lot or along the side of a street-curb, beware. These 'curbstoners' often operate by buying used cars and then reselling them at a profit.

Do not purchase any vehicle with a title that isn't in the name of the seller. These sellers do not comply with state or federal laws, and you have no consumer protection in your purchases. Insist on seeing the title to the vehicle to make sure there are no liens on the vehicle, and make sure to confirm that the name on the title matches the name on the seller's driver's license.

Conduct a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) search with the Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) to check the mileage on the car. Curbstoners often roll back the odometer to raise the price on the vehicle. Pay attention to other signs that the vehicle may be marked up.

Never agree to purchase any vehicle that you have not first seen in person. Internet sellers can easily defraud a buyer for partial or full payment of a car that is misrepresented or does not exist.

Don't be afraid to ask the seller questions about the mileage on the car, the amount of time they've owned the vehicle, why they're selling the car or how the car operates. Consider using one of the popular web based services (such as carfax.com) to check on the service and repair history of a vehicle, and make sure you trust your instincts about the seller.


HOW TO REPORT IF YOU'VE BEEN A VICTIM

Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles: If you feel the dealer has given you fraudulent information regarding your used car, file a complaint with the Ohio BMV (614-752-7500 or www.bmv.ohio.gov):

                Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles
                ATTN: Investigations
                P.O. Box 16784
                Columbus, Ohio 43216-6784