Fraudulent Cars.com Ads: Buyer Beware

Attention: All buyers who have seen a car that is priced very low or have had a seller ask to wire money, to transfer money or to send any other type of payment without seeing the vehicle is highly regarded as fraud. Recently, there has been a fraudulent seller who has been posting ads with low prices and asking buyers to send payments immediately for the vehicle. The fraudulent seller has been trying to convince the buyer that he works with Cars.com and uses persuasion to make the buyer believe it will be a safe transaction monitored by cars.com .  At Cars.com, we do not become involved in any transaction or payment with the buyer regardless what the circumstance may be.

Here are some examples how to spot these new fraudulent ads:

The example below shows some of the common text the fraudulent seller uses in his illegitimate ads:

"Please contact me directly at davidgarla222@gmail.com to buy it now. Please note if you will contact me through cars.com message system i will not be able to get your e-mail due my high junk protection. For a sure answer e-mail me directly at the above e-mail address. My phone number that i posted on cars.com is not working properly for moment so please e-mail me your number at davidgarla222@gmail.com and i will call you".

Warning to all buyers: He will change his e-mail and keep the description the same or he will say his phone number does not work and for you to e-mail him. Remember a person who is a legitimate seller would always be willing to share his phone number or post some type of phone number where it would allow the buyer to reach him/her to arrange specific times for test drives and viewing.

If you think you have seen these fraudulent ads recently, or if you think you may about to be the victim of a scam please contact us right away at Cars.com .

Comments

[Sue @ Used Cars]

I just have to say that this is great that you are warning people of these potential fraudsters, but to be honest someone that is asked to put a down payment on something that they have only seen on a web page or ad is just silly, surely one would go and see the car teat drive it first before just handing over money, its just a thought on my side.

[fred thompson]

The ads from
unlimited auto and auto unlimited are fraudulent. They appear in lemonfree.com, I think

[Anne O.]

I was about to purchase a car from unlimited autos they wanted me to send a money gram. I decieded to look into it and now it looks like they are a scam.

[buy viagra]

There is a law that says if a mechanic / shop is fraudulent in car repairs (like if they tell you you need a new engine and you find out all you needed was an oil change) that you get double your money back for the expenses they charged you. Can someone please help me find this law?

[Mike]

Car dealers in the lower michigan area be aware of bogus test drives by a white female in her late 20's. She says she will show the vehicle to her fiance and bring it back, then she will call and make up a BS story as to why she can't bring the car back until the next day. She brings the vehicle back in disgustingly dirty condition and adds about 350 miles onto the vehicle as well. Watch her, she is a complete scam artist and con artist. Not sure who taught her but they must have been good.

[men eyeglasses]

At Cars.com, we do not become involved in any transaction or payment with the buyer regardless what the circumstance may be.

[umass lowell isis]

I was about to purchase a car from unlimited autos they wanted me to send a money gram. I decieded to look into it and now it looks like they are a scam.GooD luck