How to Avoid getting Scammed when Buying a new Car
Buying a new car is definitely an exciting experience, but it's also quite tough and not just on your wallet. There are so many different cars to choose from and so many different deals, that it becomes quite the ordeal for your brain . . . and it gets worse. Nowadays, car dealers are finding ways toscamnew car buyers and it has become really important to go into yourcar dealer's office mentally prepared for this.
Everyone would gladly make a little extra money and manycar dealersare willing to cheat a little in order to get some. Car dealers have various ways of obtaining this money. Some may try to sell you a plan they made themselves and add in services that are completely unnecessary. Others may try to make more money through their service department byoverservicingvehicles. This is illegal because there's a limit to how much service a vehicle actually needs and a dealership isn't allowed to charge extra for unnecessary services.
Another way that a car dealer may scam a buyer is through an escrow scam. This is when the seller sets up a fake, or escrow, service through which the money involved in the selling of the car can supposedly be kept safe until the entire transaction is finished. However, the seller ends contact with the customer once they get their hands on the money, therefore preventing the buyer from getting the car or obtaining their money back.
Car dealers may also use the Internet as a way to scam customers. A seller may put a really good deal online to attract customers and when someone contacts them, they'll say that they're out of country and that the buyer has to pay before the car can be shipped. When the seller gets the money, they find a way to make sure that the buyer can't contact them again and get to keep the money and the car.
Even though there are many ways a seller can scam you, there are also many different ways to avoid these scams. Read your owner's manual and don't get tempted by the one that the dealership offers you, because it will make you pay for services that your car doesn't need. Don't ever buy a car that you've never actually seen and don't use bank-to-bank transfer or wire money. Only buy a car from someone who can meet you in person and try to contact him by phone sometimes. Beware of sellers who don't seem to want to reveal too many details about themselves, as well as of sellers who want to end the transaction as soon as possible, as they may just want to get their hands on your money before you can really think the whole thing through.
There are going to be car dealers out there who will try to cheat you, so be aware of that, but also realize that not every single seller you meet is going to want to scam you. Some people will genuinely want to sell you a good car. However, it's not always going to be easy to distinguish between the two, so always be cautious when buying a new car.
