- VIN cloning is rising, posing risks for online car buyers, experts warn.
- Fraudsters use cloned VINs to disguise stolen or unsafe vehicles, CARFAX reports.
- Buyers should verify VINs match paperwork, avoid wire transfers and get history reports.
SALT LAKE CITY — You see a great deal online. The price is right. A check of the VIN shows the car looks clean — no problems, no accidents. But the car you're buying might have a forged identity to conceal its crash history or to hide that it has been stolen.
It's a scenario made possible with the surge in VIN cloning.
"VIN cloning happens when a fraudster copies a legitimate VIN onto a stolen or illegal car," explained Em Nguyen of CARFAX.
She said the scheme is especially dogging people who buy cars online, sight unseen. It can be tough to spot for those folks who are trying to do their due diligence.
While many times criminals used cloned VINs to disguise stolen vehicles, some use them to hide a vehicle's true history to sell you a salvaged and/or unsafe car.
Nguyen said thieves scout parking lots for legitimate VINs to steal.
"They usually choose a car that's the same make and model, so it appears to be the correct vehicle," she said.
Avoiding cloned VINs
So how do you protect yourself from VIN cloning?
Well, you can just buy cars from a licensed dealer. But if you want to buy from an individual, complete transactions in person, in a safe, public location such as a police station parking lot.
Make sure the VIN plates on the dashboard, the doorjamb and the engine firewall all match the paperwork. Look at the plates for signs of tampering like scratch marks, glue or fresh paint.
Never send money through wire transfers, or any online method, before you see the car and verify the seller's legitimacy.
And spend a few dollars on a vehicle history report. Check it over for specific red flags such the car you're buying is in Colorado, but it's somehow registered in Florida. That's a big, red flag.
Otherwise, you might only learn the car you bought has been stolen or salvaged when you need to file an insurance claim and it gets denied. Or, when the DMV rejects your registration because it has a duplicate VIN. Either can leave you out thousands of dollars.
"Law enforcement would then come in and take your vehicle," warned Nguyen. "And you don't get your money back!"
