{"id":309,"date":"2024-11-07T13:29:43","date_gmt":"2024-11-07T12:29:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/crashstatus.com\/blog\/?p=309"},"modified":"2024-11-08T12:37:56","modified_gmt":"2024-11-08T11:37:56","slug":"car-sale-fraud-a-true-story","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/crashstatus.com\/blog\/car-sale-fraud-a-true-story\/","title":{"rendered":"Car sale fraud \u2013 a true story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Why should you check a car\u2019s VIN number before buying it?<\/strong><br>Today\u2019s car buyers have numerous tools at their disposal to verify a used car before buying it. These include free VIN checks provided by services like Crash Status. The vehicle\u2019s condition should be inspected by a mechanic and a diagnostician at a service station. Alternatively, such an inspection can be carried out by an experienced automotive expert. Why should we check a car before buying it? We\u2019ll explain on the basis of a true story about a fraudulent used car sale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This unfortunate purchase serves as a warning to anyone looking for a used car. Our user lost a lot of money due to dishonest sellers, who sold them a damaged vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sometimes Crash Status users thank us for having avoided buying a post-accidentor flood-damaged car thanks to our service. They checked the car using its VIN number for free. Sometimes they share with us longer descriptions of their stories to warn others, so we\u2019ll publish one such story for you as a cautionary tale.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"widget widget_hsp_vin_search\"><div class=\"bg-darkBlue rounded-[35px]  p-6 py-10  my-4 md:py-8 md:px-8 relative md:my-4 overflow-hidden\">\n\t<span class=\"absolute top-0 left-0 -z-1\">\n\t\t<svg width=\"217\" height=\"215\" viewBox=\"0 0 217 215\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t\t\t<path\n\t\t\t\td=\"M144.726 -54.6222L130.359 -29.7422L129.06 -27.5132L115.097 -3.31126L100.723 21.5759C113.02 28.7017 122.194 40.18 126.434 53.7417H18.4845C22.7228 40.1693 31.9067 28.6839 44.2162 21.5615L29.8494 -3.31126C18.9615 2.95445 9.59533 11.5512 2.42274 21.8623C-4.74986 32.1735 -9.55118 43.9437 -11.6369 56.3287C-13.7226 68.7137 -13.041 81.4066 -9.64102 93.4972C-6.24102 105.588 -0.206856 116.777 8.02872 126.261L-7.84615 153.788C-26.4642 135.86 -38.5436 112.218 -42.1594 86.6292C-45.7752 61.0406 -40.7192 34.9784 -27.7972 12.5962C-14.8752 -9.78602 5.16913 -27.2001 29.1413 -36.8709C53.1134 -46.5416 79.6338 -47.9123 104.476 -40.7647L119.189 -66.265C85.2176 -77.8477 48.1507 -76.3797 15.2025 -62.1467C-17.7457 -47.9137 -44.2177 -21.9341 -59.0613 10.7357C-73.9048 43.4054 -76.0578 80.4277 -65.1012 114.597C-54.1447 148.766 -30.8624 177.637 0.213959 195.591L14.5735 170.697L29.835 144.244L44.144 119.48L44.2018 119.379C31.7389 112.169 22.4875 100.489 18.3257 86.7082H126.563C122.399 100.489 113.145 112.17 100.68 119.379L115.04 144.244C125.922 137.981 135.284 129.389 142.455 119.083C149.625 108.778 154.427 97.0142 156.516 84.6356C158.605 72.257 157.929 59.5698 154.537 47.483C151.145 35.3961 145.121 24.2089 136.897 14.7229L152.771 -12.8189C171.385 5.11055 183.46 28.7518 187.074 54.3381C190.688 79.9245 185.633 105.984 172.713 128.365C159.793 150.745 139.752 168.16 115.784 177.833C91.8155 187.506 65.2981 188.882 40.4567 181.741L25.7508 207.242C59.7265 218.845 96.8061 217.391 129.768 203.162C162.73 188.933 189.214 162.948 204.062 130.269C218.91 97.5889 221.059 60.5541 210.09 26.3773C199.122 -7.79951 175.821 -36.6713 144.726 -54.6149V-54.6222Z\"\n\t\t\t\tfill=\"#2E3264\" fill-opacity=\"0.31\" \/>\n\t\t<\/svg>\n\n\t<\/span>\n\t<div class=\"relative flex flex-col items-center xl:flex-row \">\n\t\t<div class=\"w-full xl:w-50\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"font sans text-[28px] text-white xl:text-left text-center leading-none font-bold\">\n\t\t\t\tCheck the vehicle history\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<p class=\"text-xs text-center text-white xl:text-left l\">\n\t\t\t\tCheck for free whether the car you want to buy - has had any damage\n\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<form class=\"md:max-w-[60%]  lg:max-w-none flex-1 w-full xl:pl-8 xl:w-50 hsp-find-vin-widget\">\n\t\t\t<div\n\t\t\t\tclass=\"relative z-10 w-full justify-between max-w-[100%] flex flex-row rounded-[100px] border bg-white p-[8px] pl-[15px] shadow-input  border-transparent\">\n\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" placeholder=\"Type in a VIN number consisting of 17 characters\"\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"js-vin min-w-[180px] xs:min-w-[250px] border font-sans text-base font-semibold tracking-tighter  text-black placeholder-[#909FAD] outline-none mb-0 mr-6 w-[50%] rounded-none border-none p-[0px] text-left border-transparent\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t<button type=\"submit\"\n\t\t\t\t\tclass=\"flex w-[60px] h-[60px] items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-blue hover:bg-orange p-4  text-white\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<svg width=\"25\" height=\"24\" viewBox=\"0 0 25 24\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<path\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\td=\"M2.30439 22.8682L6.88205 18.6348C8.76887 20.002 11.0984 20.7422 13.4955 20.7359C15.631 20.7359 17.7186 20.1503 19.4942 19.053C21.2698 17.9558 22.6538 16.3962 23.471 14.5716C24.2882 12.747 24.5021 10.7392 24.0854 8.80218C23.6688 6.86516 22.6405 5.08589 21.1304 3.68937C19.6204 2.29286 17.6964 1.34182 15.6019 0.956524C13.5075 0.571226 11.3365 0.768975 9.36348 1.52476C7.39051 2.28055 5.70418 3.56043 4.51775 5.20256C3.33131 6.84469 2.69805 8.77531 2.69805 10.7503C2.69128 12.9671 3.49157 15.1215 4.97001 16.8665L0.392348 21.1C0.140956 21.3355 9.20242e-07 21.6531 9.04602e-07 21.9841C8.88962e-07 22.3151 0.140956 22.6327 0.392348 22.8682C0.517739 22.9846 0.666734 23.0769 0.830789 23.1399C0.994845 23.2029 1.17073 23.2354 1.34837 23.2354C1.52601 23.2354 1.7019 23.2029 1.86595 23.1399C2.03001 23.0769 2.179 22.9846 2.30439 22.8682ZM13.4955 3.26106C15.0971 3.26106 16.6628 3.70029 17.9945 4.52322C19.3262 5.34614 20.3642 6.5158 20.9771 7.88428C21.59 9.25275 21.7504 10.7586 21.4379 12.2114C21.1255 13.6641 20.3542 14.9986 19.2217 16.046C18.0891 17.0933 16.6462 17.8066 15.0753 18.0956C13.5045 18.3846 11.8762 18.2363 10.3965 17.6694C8.91675 17.1026 7.652 16.1427 6.76218 14.9111C5.87235 13.6795 5.39741 12.2315 5.39741 10.7503C5.40038 8.76486 6.25453 6.86154 7.77256 5.45764C9.2906 4.05373 11.3486 3.26381 13.4955 3.26106Z\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tfill=\"white\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/path>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"hidden font-sans font-light lg:pl-[18px] text-red js-vin-error\">\n\t\t\t\tType in a correct VIN number<\/div>\n\t\t<\/form>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A free VIN check and a technical inspection are a must!<\/strong><br>Scammers will always pop up wherever there\u2019s an opportunity to make money. The risk of being scammed in the second-hand car market is very high. Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>The European second-hand car market is enormous, with millions of car sale transactions each year. There\u2019s no shortage of buyers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>The market for premium used cars is growing. Dishonest sellers can earn the most on the most expensive cars. These cars are often \u201ctweaked\u201d using second-hand parts.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Many methods can be used by sellers to completely \u201chide\u201d themselves. A dealership might act only as an intermediary. When buying an imported car, the buyer signs a contract with the car\u2019s previous owner, not the importer. After the purchase, the dealership assumes no responsibility for any defects and the importer disappears.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Automotive stores are full of chemicals that can mask various issues with a vehicle.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>There is widespread access to second-hand parts from scrapped cars.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Modern cars are full of electronics. Does this make them more resilient to dishonest sellers? No. A dishonest seller can buy a professional diagnostic computer and illegal software, allowing them to adjust the odometer and use emulators for missing or removed parts. With some basic knowledge of electronics, they can even disconnect warning lights on the dashboard, such as the airbag system warning (SRS).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>True story of a car sale fraud<\/strong><br>Adam decided to replace his 15-year-old car with a newer model five years ago. He sold his accident-free, well-maintained vehicle easily. His next choice was a medium-size estate with a small petrol-powered engine, manufactured in Europe in cooperation with a well-known German car manufacturer. The car was a popular model with good reviews and affordable spare parts. He was aiming for a 6- to 7-year-old car and started searching online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Adam soon came across his dream car. Recently imported, it looked great in photos, had top-notch features and was considerably cheaper than similar models by about 2,000 euros and had low mileage. The seller claimed the car was rarely used, in excellent condition and well-maintained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The inspection on site was a real pleasure. The car was polished, smelled nice inside and all of the dashboard elements were in shining condition. The engine started without any hesitation, although the seller only agreed to a short drive since the car wasn\u2019t registered. The deal was concluded the very same day. Adam signed a purchase contract with the German owner, whom the seller praised as a meticulous caretaker. The friendly seller even arranged the initial inspection, transport and provided service records confirming the car\u2019s regular maintenance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Adam wanted to take the car to a service station for diagnostics, but the 20 km distance posed logistical challenges. But with the seller demonstrating a German inspection certificate stating the car\u2019s excellent condition, he didn\u2019t feel the need. Adam paid 15,000 euros, pleased with the savings in comparison with similar models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Problems following &nbsp;the purchase<\/strong><br>Within weeks, the first issues began to surface, starting with the front lights. The right LED headlight failed, requiring a repair costing 200 euros, while the fog lights needed replacing due to wiring corrosion, costing several hundred euros each. This was only the beginning of a nightmare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once every few days, another feature stopped working. The driver\u2019s door speaker failed, the window lifting mechanism stopped working and a warning message appeared on the digital dashboard. Soon, the cabin developed a musty odor, which even the cleaning of the air conditioning system didn\u2019t eliminate, and the condenser had corroded and had to be replaced. Eventually, a service station mechanic determined that the car had been flooded, which explained the persistent electrical issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To make matters worse, the mechanic suspected the car was a post-accident vehicle, as parts like the water and AC radiators had been clearly replaced. Additionally, it became clear the car\u2019s airbags had been deployed previously. The SRS warning light was disconnected and the SRS control module was corroded. Adam even found that silicone patches were used on the sunroof and that chemicals were used to seal the steering and lubrication systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Four months later, Adam checked the car\u2019s VIN number and discovered a recorded accident. By purchasing a report on Crash Status, he confirmed severe front damage, a broken windshield and minor structural damage to a pillar and the roof. Photos showed the car among wrecked vehicles at what looked like a scrapyard, clarifying the source of water damage. It seemed the car had been left exposed in a humid area, causing sensor corrosion and ABS\/ESP issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The repair costs were staggering. The mechanic replaced the entire interior, removing rust and replacing electronics, fluids, filters and malfunctioning components. A specialized company installed a second-hand SRS module,new airbags and seatbelt pretensioners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>What about the seller?<\/strong><br>Nothing. Adam bought the car from a German citizen, not the local seller, who hadn\u2019t even parked the car near his home. The seller knew what he was selling. The technical inspection certificate and service records were all fake and the seller earned about 5,000 euros. The German was happy to offload a junk car he should have scrapped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Let this true story serve as a warning<\/strong><br>Are you planning on buying a used car? Check it using its VIN number for free with Crashstatus.com. If the car has any damage history, reconsider buying it. If you still want it, make sure you know the true extent of the damage to assess whether its repair is worth it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why should you check a car\u2019s VIN number before buying it?Today\u2019s car buyers have numerous tools at their disposal to verify a used car before buying it. These include free VIN checks provided by services like Crash Status. The vehicle\u2019s condition should be inspected by a mechanic and a diagnostician at a service station. Alternatively,<a href=\"https:\/\/crashstatus.com\/blog\/car-sale-fraud-a-true-story\/\">Continue reading <span class=\"sr-only\">&#8220;Car sale fraud \u2013 a true story&#8221;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":310,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-309","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bez-kategorii-pl"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/crashstatus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/crashstatus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/crashstatus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crashstatus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crashstatus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=309"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/crashstatus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":357,"href":"https:\/\/crashstatus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/309\/revisions\/357"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crashstatus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/310"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/crashstatus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=309"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crashstatus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=309"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/crashstatus.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=309"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}