Payment Invoice for Transaction

We have reports of car buyers receiving a scam email with a subject line of "Payment Invoice for Transaction ID# XXXXXXXX."  If you receive an email with this or a similar subject, please refrain from further correspondence with the seller.  Never wire money to a buyer or seller regardless of any assurances they make.

Cars.com is ONLY a classified listing service and NEVER is involved in payment between the seller and buyer.  Despite contrary appearances, this email was not sent by Cars.com.

SAMPLE FRAUD TRANSACTION EMAIL (Click on Image to Enlarge)

Actual Fraud Email

Here's an actual fraud email sent to a Cars.com seller: Thanks for the email. I am interested and would be willing to buy it at that price ($3,500). I have an International shipping agent that will come pick it up from your (HOUSE) and ship to me. I will arrange for payment by sending your full name, address, state, city, ZIP code, country, telephone no./mobile no to my client in the states who is owing me the amount of ($8,000) to issue you a check for this amount, which is a refund for a cancelled order I placed with him, and being a refund the amount can only be written on a single check. I know it is more than the (car) price but after getting the check, I need you to cash it and deduct cost of the (car), then do me a favor of wiring the remaining balance to my international shipper via Western Union. I will also compensate you with ($50) for removing the advert from the net. After this is done and he gets the money, he will then pick it up from your residence and ship to me. So, confirm this and send your full name and address including phone number for mailing the check payment to you as soon as possible. Waiting for your urgent reply, Kind regards. John

Questions or concerns?  Call (888) 780-1286 or email us.

FTC Tips to Avoid Scams!

The Federal Trade Commission offers the following tips to avoid scams:

• Confirm the buyer's name, street address and telephone number.
• Don't accept a check for more than the selling amount.
• Consider alternative methods of payment such as an escrow or online payment service.
• If you accept a check, insist on one drawn on a local bank or a bank with a local branch.
• If the buyer insists that you wire back funds, end the transaction immediately.
• If a buyer attempts to pay with a winning check from a foreign lottery, end the transaction immediately.
• Resist pressure from the buyer to act immediately. An offer good today should be good after the check clears.

Questions or concerns? Call (888) 780-1286 or email us.

Certified Check Scams

According to the U.S. Secret Service, which enforces federal laws related to counterfeiting, certified check scams cost consumers $100 million a year.

How they work:

1. A buyer shows interest in buying the car and says a cashier's check will be issued for payment.
2. At the last minute, the so-called buyer comes up with a reason to write the check for significantly more than the asking price and requests the seller to wire the difference.
3. The checks are often such convincing fakes that the seller wires the money immediately after his or her bank clears the check.
4. In a week or so, the check turns out to be counterfeit, and the bank requires the car seller to cover the money for the phony check.

The checks are of such good quality that they often fool bank personnel who study them, says Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden. "Victims think the cashier's check or corporate check must be good when the bank gives them the money. But several days later they learn the check is a fake, and they're out both the item they sold and the full face value of the counterfeit check." In Idaho, even a deputy attorney general was duped by such a ploy.

If you're a victim of one of these scams, contact your local authorities immediately.

Questions or concerns? Call (888) 780-1286 or email us.

Cashier's Check Scams

In a typical scenario, a buyer — who usually inquires from overseas — arranges to pay for the car with a cashier's check or certified check in an amount that's more than the vehicle's purchase price. The buyer justifies this by saying a previous sale fell through or the extra money is needed to pay for shipping expenses or customs fees.
The buyer then asks the seller to wire the difference either to him or to the shipping company to cover expenses. Or a buyer will send a cashier's check as a down payment, then decide to back out of the deal and ask for the money back.

When asked to wire money, just say no. It's never a good idea to wire money to someone you don't know because it's an untraceable transaction. Stop negotiating with anyone who proposes this kind of bargain.

Questions or concerns? Call (888) 780-1286 or email us.

Safe Selling Tips

Advice for Sellers

Dealing locally is best.

The safest way to deal is in person and face to face. Be wary if the seller only wants to communicate via e-mail. Be more wary if the buyer is currently out of the country or resides overseas or far from where the vehicle is located. Be extremely wary if the seller flat out refuses to talk on the phone or claims they cannot talk on the phone.

Avoid complicated payment schemes.

Be suspicious of a payment process that involves many steps. One popular scam involves sending you a cashier's check for more than the purchase amount and asking you to wire the difference back to the buyer. These cashier's checks are almost always counterfeit and your bank will hold you liable. Any overpayment you wire back to the buyer will come directly out of your pocket.

Verify payment.

Do not transfer title of your vehicle to the buyer until the buyer's check has cleared or you have otherwise received full payment for your vehicle. You should always verify the authenticity of any cashier's or certified check with the issuing bank. Do not rely on the phone number printed on the check; look it up yourself. The bank can verify its routing number, describe the specific security features of its checks and even verify that there are sufficient funds to cover the check. Never accept a check for more than your asking price.

Use a legitimate escrow service.

Only use a real, reliable escrow service that you designate, not the buyer. Cars.com recommends Escrow.com. If you decide to use another escrow site, be aware that most escrow sites on the Internet are fraudulent. Research a service well before sending any money.

Questions or concerns? Call (888) 780-1286 or email us.