If you’re in the market for a used car from a private seller, title fraud is something with which to be concerned. Learning what a valid car title looks like and how to identify a fake one can be inherently useful if you’re considering working with a private seller for the purchase of your next vehicle. The experts at Car-Title.org warn all potential car buyers about the presence of fake car titles that are used in car-buying frauds around the country. Here are a few things you should check on the car title document to ensure you’re not being handed fraudulent paperwork for the vehicle.
Make sure all the information matches. The car title will list several pieces of information that you should match up with the vehicle and the registration. The team at Car-Title.org recommends analyzing the information present on the car title including year, make, model and color. The car title may also list the vehicle mileage at the time the title was received, which should make sense with how many miles are currently shown on the car. If any one of these pieces of information does not match with the vehicle you’re looking at, this may not be the correct title for the car. This transaction will not be considered valid, and it’s important to walk away without attempting to negotiate with the seller.
Analyze the ink and text. The appearance of the car title can tell you a lot about the document if you take the time to examine it. The text printed on the paper should be clean and precise and there should never be anything scratched out or handwritten on the title, no matter how official it looks. The experts at Car-Title.org recommend running your fingers over the ink on the paper to ensure it’s not raised and doesn’t smudge easily. Any smudging or ink discoloration may be a sign that the title was created by the seller and isn’t valid with the state.
Verify the Vehicle Identification Number. There should be a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) plate on the vehicle. It may also be etched on the window or somewhere else on the vehicle, depending on the year and make. According to the group at Car-Title.org, you can find this VIN and compare it to the one listed on the title paperwork. These numbers should match exactly, and you should look for any tampering with the VIN on the vehicle or on the title itself. If it looks to be scratched or changed in any way, it’s a red flag that the title may not be valid.
Feel the paper. If the title is a fraud, the paper itself may not feel right to you. Since computer and printer technology is advanced, simply feeling the paper and deciding if the title is valid isn’t enough. However, you should be aware of what a valid title feels like in your state. Most states use safety paper that has a specific and easily identifiable feeling to it. If the title doesn’t feel right to you and doesn’t compare easily to another title you’ve recently touched, look more cautiously at the other strategies to determine if the title is valid before moving forward with the vehicle purchase.
Take the title to your local Department of Motor Vehicles. If you’re unsure of the validity of a title, you should consider taking it to your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) for analysis. The experts at Car-Title.org advise you to take the paper to the DMV before giving any money to the private seller, or signing any paperwork. The DMV can not only assure you that the paperwork, itself, is valid, but can also run the title information through the state’s system to ensure the person you’re dealing with is truly the owner of the vehicle before you proceed with the deal. Visiting the DMV with the title paperwork may seem extreme, but it’s one of the best ways to ensure you’re not getting involved in a title scam with a private seller.