Troopers warn of rise in fraudulent online vehicle sales

Indiana State Police are warning you to be cautious if you are trying to buy a vehicle online.

According to the Indiana State Police Auto Theft Unit, investigators have seen a rise in stolen vehicles being sold through online platforms. Troopers say that they have seen many cases where Indiana residents unintentionally bought stolen vehicles.

Police are seeing cases of cloned or counterfeit vehicle identification numbers. A cloned VIN involves copying a legitimate VIN from one vehicle to a stolen vehicle. The counterfeit VIN is a completely fake VIN number.

The deals can appear attractive because of sales that appear too good to be true. They suggest you look out for warning signs such as a vehicle selling for far below its market value, sellers who won’t show ID and insist on cash only, at title that doesn’t match the seller or comes from out of state. Fraudulent sellers will frequently request you meet up in random parking lots, poorly lit areas, or places without cameras and may circle a spot before stopping while they check for law enforcement.

You should be alert for vehicles where the VIN appears altered, off center or is partially covered. And always be alert to engine or powertrain swaps in a vehicle.

Troopers say to protect yourself:

• Trust your gut — if something feels wrong, walk away
• Ask to meet at a police station for the transaction
• Use free VIN tools like NICB’s VIN Check or the NHTSA VIN Decoder
• Ask for ID from everyone involved and snap photos of license plates
• Don’t let a seller rush you
• Take your time examining the documents, the VINs, and the vehicle

Graphic courtesy of Indiana State Police Sellersburg Post