GREENSBORO, N.C. — It used to be you went to the car lot, new or used, and there were a lot of choices. Now, there are only a few cars on the lot. Between shortages in chips for new cars, which then prompted people to buy used cars, you might find your pickings are slim.
Scammers know it and they're posing as car sellers, often with a fake sob story. For example, a buyer found a used range rover for just $1,400. When the buyer asked why the price was so low, the seller said her spouse had died and she no longer needed the vehicle. And to hurry up the sale she said she was in the military and was being shipped out and would set up the delivery and use a 3rd party to ensure it all went well.
“They really are trying to make us feel better and saying let's use this 3rd party escrow company and that it's to protect you, they'll hold the money, they'll let you see the vehicle and if you accept it, then they'll pay the seller. It seems like a win-win for everybody. The problem is the 3rd party escrow companies are fake, so is the vehicle, you never get the vehicle and all you've done is send money to a scammer,” said Lechelle Yates from the BBB.
The Better Business Bureau is tracking these kinds of scams nationwide.
The third-party company is often a give-away. If they want you to pay for the car by buying eBay gift cards and giving them the numbers, that's a scam. When they use the rush tactic, that usually is a red flag too.
The BBB says this scam is really hitting eBay customers who think they’re protected. Know this: you have to use the eBay platform for the entire sale. If you take any part of the sale off of the eBay platform eBay can't help you get your money back.