Five years ago, a new vehicle cost 20% less. This pricing spike has caused current demand for used cars to skyrocket. Naturally, offering higher trade-in values is a smart way to expand your inventory and meet rising customer demands. However, this approach comes with a serious risk: vehicle fraud.
To protect your lot and business, here are four ways to avoid being scammed while still offering your customers competitive prices:
No matter how reliable the vehicle or seller may seem, always verify the title history before continuing with a sale. Running information through an approved NMVTIS provider will supply you with up-to-date information about the vehicle’s history data from a federal database.
A quick title check can save you from making a costly mistake and eliminate potential blind spots in the trade-in process.
VIN cloning is a common tactic thieves use to disguise stolen vehicles. Investigations into this specific crime have increased by 63% from 2019 to 2023.
To protect your business from this type of fraud, you should inspect the VIN in multiple locations, including:
Look for signs of tampering such as scratched metal or inconsistent fonts. If anything seems suspicious, stop the transaction and investigate further. Relying on a single VIN location or seller’s documentation leaves you vulnerable to dangerous scams.
Scammers can use fake or stolen IDs to pass off vehicles they don’t legally own. Before finalizing any trade-ins, confirm that the name on the title matches the seller’s government-issued ID. You can easily verify their identification information using real-time vehicle records.
This step is critical for walk-in trade-in offers where the seller isn’t purchasing a new vehicle or has no previous relationship with your dealership.
Knowing the signs of VIN switching could help your dealership identify potentially fraudulent transactions, as seen at this Texas dealership. Train your team to recognize behavioral red flags that often accompany fraudulent trades. Common signs include:
If anything seems off, encourage staff members to slow down and ask questions. Caution is key when dealing with potential scammers.
As fraudulent automotive schemes evolve, you must stay cautious and verify each trade-in vehicle to protect your dealership. With the right tools and practices, you can continue to offer competitive trade-in values to customers without worry.