Open navigation Main Menu Mortgages
Financing a home purchase Refinancing your existing loan Finding the best lender Additional Information
Looking for a financial advisor? Try our three minute test and match to an adviser today.
Main Menu Banking
Calculators to compare accounts Use the calculators and get assistance from Bank reviews
Looking for a financial advisor? Take our 3 minute quiz and match with an advisor today.
Main Menu Credit cards
Compare with other categories Compare using credit Compare by issuer Get help
Looking for the perfect credit card? Narrow your search with CardMatch(tm)
Main Menu Loans
Calculators for Loans, Auto Loans
Find a personal loan in 2 minutes or less. You can also answer a few questions to be offered loans, with no effect on the credit rating.
Main Menu Investing
Best of Brokerages and robo-advisors . Learn the basics Additional information
Looking for a financial advisor? Try our three minute test and match the advisor you want today.
Main Menu Home equity
Get the best rates Lender reviews Use calculators Knowledge base
Looking for a financial advisor? Do our 3-minute quiz and then match up the advisor you want today.
Main Menu Real estate
Selling a home Buying an investment property Finding the right agent Additional resources
Looking for a financial advisor? Try our three minute test and then match up the advisor you want today.
Main Menu Insurance
Car Insurance Homeowners insurance Other insurance reviews of the company
Looking for a financial advisor? Take our 3 minute quiz and match with an advisor today.
Main Menu Retirement
Retirement plans & accounts Find out the basics about retirement calculators Additional resources
Looking for a financial advisor? Try our three minute test and match the advisor you want today.
The search is open and closed.
Submit
How to tell if you’re buying a stolen car Advertiser Disclosure Advertiser Disclosure We are an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. Our aim is to assist you make better financial choices by providing you with financial calculators and interactive tools as well as publishing honest and original content. We also allow you to conduct your own research and compare information for free to help you make informed financial decisions. Bankrate has agreements with issuers, including but not limited to American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover. How We Make Money The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. This compensation could affect how and where products are displayed on this site, including such things as the order in which they appear in the listing categories, except where prohibited by law. Our mortgage, home equity and other products for home loans. But this compensation does affect the information we provide, or the reviews that appear on this website. We do not cover the vast array of companies or financial offerings that could be accessible to you.
SHARE:
Whisson/Jordan/Getty Images
4 min read Published October 11, 2022
Writer: Kellye Guinan Written by Personal and business finance contributor
Kellye Guinan is a freelance editor and writer with more than 5 years experience working in the field of personal finances. She’s also a full-time librarian at the local library which she assists her local community to gain access to information on financial literacy, as well as other subjects.
Editor: Helen Wilbers Edited by
Helen Wilbers has been editing for Bankrate since late 2022. He is a fan of transparent reporting that allows readers to easily get deals and make best decisions for their financials. He specializes in small and auto loans.
The Bankrate promise
More information
At Bankrate we aim to help you make smarter financial decisions. We adhere to the highest standards of editorial integrity ,
this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here’s a brief explanation of how we make money .
The promise of the Bankrate promise
Established in 1976, Bankrate has a proven track experience of helping customers make wise financial choices.
We’ve maintained our reputation for more than four decades through demystifying the financial decision-making
process, and giving people confidence in the decisions they will follow next. Bankrate follows a strict ,
You can rest assured you can trust us to put your needs first. All of our content is written by and edited by
They ensure that what we write will ensure that our content is reliable, honest and trustworthy. We have a team of loans journalists and editors focus on the points consumers care about most — the different types of lending options, the best rates, the most reliable lenders, ways to repay debt and more — so you can feel confident when investing your money.
Integrity of the editorial process
Bankrate adheres to a strict code of conduct and rigorous policy, so you can rest assured that we’re putting your interests first. Our award-winning editors and journalists create honest and accurate information to help you make the right financial decisions. Our main principles are that we respect your confidence. Our goal is to provide our readers with accurate and unbiased information. We have standards for editorial content in place to ensure that happens. Our editors and reporters rigorously fact-check editorial content to ensure the information you’re reading is correct. We keep a barrier between advertisers as well as our editorial staff. The editorial team of Editorial Independence Bankrate does not receive compensation directly from our advertisers. Editorial Independence Bankrate’s editorial team writes on behalf of YOU – the reader. Our aim is to provide you the most accurate advice to help you make smart personal finance decisions. We adhere to the strictest guidelines in order to make sure that content is not influenced by advertisers. Our editorial team is not paid directly from advertisers, and all of our content is checked for accuracy to ensure its truthfulness. If you’re looking at an article or review, you’ll be able to trust that you’re receiving trustworthy and reliable information.
How we make money
There are money-related questions. Bankrate can help. Our experts have helped you understand your money for more than four years. We strive to continuously give our customers the right advice and tools required to be successful throughout their financial journey. Bankrate adheres to a strict code of conduct standard of conduct, so you can rest assured that our content is honest and reliable. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial choices. The content we create by our editorial team is factual, objective and is not influenced through our sponsors. We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and practical tools for you , by describing how we make money. Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We receive compensation for placement of sponsored products and, services, or through you clicking certain links posted on our website. Therefore, this compensation may affect the way, location and when products appear in listing categories, unless the law prohibits it for our mortgage, home equity and other home loan products. Other factors, such as our own rules for our website and whether the product is available within the area you reside in or is within your own personal credit score could also affect the way and place products are listed on this website. We strive to provide the most diverse selection of products, Bankrate does not include specific information on every credit or financial product or service.
With the cost of new cars hitting the record-setting levels, you may be thinking about buying a used car. Be cautious that car theft is spiking and you don’t want to purchase a vehicle that has been stolen. In 2021, 932,329 cars were reported stolen, up 10.9 percent from 2020 according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). There’s also a chance that the vehicle you’re considering buying is a cloned vehicle. Car cloning is when a car-thief steals license plates, as well as registration stickers from a legal vehicle and then puts them on a stolen vehicle with a similar model and model. The criminal may also utilize fake documents to offer you a brand new car. Be cautious when purchasing from a private seller or a dealer. And if something feels strange, you should look elsewhere. There are a lot of used vehicles available for sale. 6 steps to check whether the car you’re purchasing is stolen To avoid the hassle of buying a fake car, make sure you adhere to these steps. 1. Verify the VIN thoroughly. You can do this by checking the information with government agencies or the department of motor vehicles. You can also look up a car’s VIN via the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s VIN Check service, suggests Renee Valdes, senior advice editor at Kelley Blue Book. This free service can inform you of any insurance records of a stolen vehicle, which includes one that is not yet recovered. “Some vehicles have the VIN in the driver’s front door or on the windshield and some owners can have the VIN written on the window or inside the engine” says Valdes. “Carmakers are trying to make it difficult for thieves to steal VINs and make counterfeit ones.” It is possible that the VIN could also be etched into the vehicle’s dashboard. Be cautious, especially when it comes to numerals and letters that look like each other. Because the VIN must be located in multiple locations, look at each one to ensure that they are in line. If they don’t then they could have been tampered with. 2. Buy a report on the history of your vehicle. Request a report on the history of your vehicle using the VIN, suggests Valdes. Businesses that provide report on the history of a vehicle include . “These aren’t very costly, and they’re worth it,” says Valdes. The reports on vehicle history include details like Service history Information on the title Liens that are held in the car’s accident history and damage Previous owners But even though the report will include the prior owners of the vehicle, it won’t include the names of the owners. “If you can trace the past complete to the present it’s likely that it’s well taken care of and not taken away,” says Valdes. However, if there’s gaps in the history or the car isn’t up to the current date, it could indicate that the car has been taken. 3. Perform a title search can search for a car’s title by using the . If the person who is trying to sell the car isn’t listed on the title, you’ll be able to tell it’s a stolen car. Having access to the title of the vehicle can help identify any contradictions between what the seller is telling you against what’s written on the title, for instance if the car is one and what the mileage was at the time it was last sold. 4. Request the seller’s car’s service history If the seller has you maintenance receipts There is a greater likelihood that it’s not a stolen car, explains Valdes. Examine the receipts to determine if the VIN the make, model and year on the receipts correspond to the vehicle. Compare the maintenance records with the vehicle history report and check if they are in line. “A vehicle is usually a consumer’s second largest purchase,” says Valdes. “I always thought of my car as if I would be selling it one day and that means taking proper care of it and getting regular oil changes.” Also, you should ask to see if you can see the previous bill of sale when the seller bought the vehicle. It’s not too late to inquire about the seller’s contact information and what they originally purchased the car for. A legitimate seller shouldn’t hesitate to provide you with this information. 5. Ask your auto insurance company to inspect your car. Ask your insurance company if it’s willing to inspect cars for safety, and for any indications of fraud. However, you should conduct your own due diligence, however, your insurance provider may be able to find additional details to verify that your vehicle is safe and legal all requirements. Additionally, certain states or insurance companies may require an inspection of your vehicle prior to you . This is usually required prior to when the insurance company approves your auto insurance policy. It is only necessary if you’re buying certain kinds of insurance for example . 6. Trust your gut If the price is too good to be true, or the seller is overly keen to sell you the car and wants you to skip the deal, go with your gut. There are many sellers, and used car dealerships there are many trustworthy options to choose from. You may notice differences between what the seller tells you about the vehicle and what you find out during your research. This isn’t always a warning sign. There are many car owners who keep meticulous records, and if the vehicle was purchased and sold several times, there could be certain information that is not there. But if you spot discrepancies without a reason then walk away. What to do if the car you’re buying is stolen? If you learn if the car you’re buying is missing, you must file a police report. You must provide your purchase bill and any pertinent documents and details. Unfortunately, if the car you purchase was stolen or is an “cloned car,” it was never actually yours. This means you are not the legal owner of the vehicle and it will be taken away and given to the rightful owner. If a theft claim has already been issued to insurers, the car is returned to the insurance company. The loss will be the same. If you haven’t purchased the car yet, just walk away from the car and do not look back, advises Valdes. When you’re sure to do so, you can file a police report. The most important thing to remember is that thieves are getting craftier, stay alert about potential threats and investigate the vehicle thoroughly, advises Valdes. This could include doing a search on the VIN and requesting a vehicle history report, and asking for additional information and documents to identify whether the vehicle has been stolen. “Don’t be afraid to take every precaution, even in the booming used car industry,” says Valdes.
SHARE:
Written by Personal and business finance Contributor
Kellye Guinan is a freelance editor and writer who has more than five years of experience in personal finance. She also works full-time as a worker at her local library in which she assists the community access information about financial literacy, in addition to other subjects.
Edited by Helen Wilbers Edited by
Helen Wilbers has been editing for Bankrate since late 2022. He is a fan of clear reporting that helps readers successfully find deals and make the best choices for their finances. He specializes in auto and small business loans.
Related Articles Auto Loans 4 min read Feb 28, 2023
Auto Loans 5 minutes read on 13 October 2022
Auto Loans 5 min read October 10 2022
Auto Loans 3 min read May 10 2022
About
Help
Legal Cookie settings Don’t sell my info
How we make money Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for the promotion of sponsored goods and, services, or by you clicking on specific links on our website. This compensation could influence the manner, place and in what order items are displayed within the categories of listing, except where prohibited by law for our mortgage, home equity and other home loan products. Other factors, such as our own website rules and whether the product is offered in your area or at your own personal credit score can also impact the manner in which products appear on this website. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include details about every financial or credit product or service. Bankrate, LLC NMLS ID# 1427381 | BR Tech Services, Inc. NMLS ID #1743443 |
|
(c) 2023 Bankrate, LLC. The Red Ventures company. All Rights reserved.
Should you beloved this informative article and also you would like to get more details about payday loans online same day arizona (payday-qw.ru) i implore you to stop by the web page.