Online Scams That Cause Financial Loss
Selling a car online isn’t just about uploading photos (and yes, I tried to hide the coffee stain) and waiting for a magical offer. The real losses sneak in before your car even leaves the driveway. Sometimes the scams are so obvious it’s funny, but sometimes I’m just staring at my phone, not sure if I should even reply.
Popular Scam Tactics
Fake cashier’s checks. Still a thing. Someone offered to buy my car without seeing it. That’s never good. Another wanted to wire “extra” for shipping and asked if I could use my hoodie as padding. What?
- Checks that bounce, wires that don’t show up, missing zeros
- Overpayment for “shipping” (never saw a dollar)
- “Inspection” deposits that vanish
Some show up in rental cars to look legit. Am I supposed to check their Hertz contract? Chicago had a wave of “rubber check” scams—people lost cars and never saw a dime. It’d be funny if it wasn’t so painful.
Identity Theft Dangers
Sometimes I’m just chatting, and suddenly I’ve given out my address, phone, even a license scan (yeah, I did that once). Next thing, someone’s opening credit lines in my name. Why do they want my insurance info? Who knows. It’s like the dry cleaner asking for your birthday—why do you need that, man?
The sneaky ways they get you:
| Tactic | Risk Level | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Requesting personal info (addresses etc) | Very High | “For our records,” they say—then open credit lines |
| Fake buyer ‘verifies’ your details | High | Claims they need photos of your license |
Spotting Con Artists
They’re always in a rush. “Need it today!” My scam radar goes nuts. They dodge questions, their names change mid-email, and the grammar gets weird. I can’t tell if it’s a bot or just a tired person.
One guy wanted me to drive the car for a “mechanic inspection” at an address that turned out to be an abandoned bakery. I almost went—donuts sounded good. And the “middleman” thing? Never legit. Real buyers will FaceTime, but these people always have “broken webcams.”
If I had a dollar for every “my cousin’s in the military” story, I could maybe buy lunch. Here’s what I watch out for:
- Won’t meet in person or on video
- Weird payment stuff (gift cards, third-party apps)
- Pushy, urgent, or guilt-trippy messages
Last thing—if someone goes from “super interested” to “SEND VIN NOW!!!” in three texts, just block and move on. Or send them a photo of your car keys with a rubber chicken, I don’t know.
Screening and Profiling Potential Buyers
I mean, before I even bother meeting up with anyone—especially in some Target lot with seagulls and loose carts—I’m already second-guessing. Who are these people? I keep thinking about that guy who texted me about my Honda and spelled “Civic” wrong, like, three times. Sometimes I’m not even sure they’re real. Maybe it’s a bot. Maybe it’s just some bored kid.
Recognizing Red Flags
I usually start grilling them—quick questions, nothing fancy. If they dodge or just half-answer, that’s it, my brain’s screaming “nope.” Are you here to buy or just collecting VINs for some spreadsheet I don’t want to imagine? And the ones who say they’ll buy “sight-unseen” or want to ship the car overseas—sure, maybe there’s a collector in Latvia, but I’m not buying it. I scribble weird phrases on sticky notes (“send code,” “urgent escrow,” whatever) and, honestly, my dashboard looks like a conspiracy board.
Oh, and there was this one guy who kept asking about my insurance before we’d even met. Like, what? Anyway, here’s my personal “nope” list:
| Red Flag Behaviors | Trustworthy? |
|---|---|
| Won’t share ID or license | No |
| Wants to pay more “accidentally” | No |
| Offers to buy unseen | No |
| Pressures for fast decisions | No |
| Asks weird personal questions | No |
If the message looks like it’s been copy-pasted, it probably was. Sometimes you can just feel it.
Avoid Buyers With Too Many Stories
If someone’s on their third story about their cousin’s lawyer’s shipping company, I’m already tuning out. People who pile on details or invent relatives think it sounds official, but all I hear is static. I mean, how can you be out of the country and in New Jersey at the same time? Does everyone have a grandma in Miami with a business PayPal now? I don’t know.
After a while, you get a feel for it—real buyers just cut to the chase. The ones with wild stories (“my bank’s updating,” “I’m at a chess tournament”) usually hide behind weird anonymity that doesn’t even fit. Sometimes I make up names for them—“Chad the Chess Guy”—just to keep track. If they’re always rescheduling or giving me epic reasons why they can’t meet, I get suspicious. I mean, I don’t even explain that much to my dentist.
Safe Payment Methods and Their Risks
Getting paid should be simple, but, yeah, it never is. Especially when you’re standing in the driveway, buyer’s already forgotten his sunglasses, and you’re just hoping you don’t get scammed. Scams are like—they know when you’re tired.
Cashier’s Checks and Fraud
So, buyer shows up, waves a cashier’s check, says it’s bank-guaranteed, and I’m supposed to trust this weird blue watermark? Thing is, fakes exist. Some of these counterfeits look legit until your bank calls days later and says, “Sorry, this bounced.” Money’s gone, car’s gone, and I’m just staring at my empty driveway. I tried squinting at the hologram or whatever, but honestly, if someone handed me a snack right then, I’d probably have missed the difference. Banks sometimes hold these checks for days, so “guaranteed funds” is just a slogan.
Tip: If you’re gonna use a cashier’s check, do it inside your bank, with a teller who looks like they’d rather be anywhere else. Still, sometimes they just deposit it and shrug. Not exactly bulletproof. Personal checks? No way, not even if the buyer swears their bank is “the best.”