Vehicle Title Fraud and How You Can Avoid Buying a Flood Damage Vehicle

Vehicle title fraud, sometimes known as the sale of a totaled or stolen vehicle using false paperwork to make the title appear clean, happens more frequently than you might imagine. Selling salvaged vehicles, including flood-damaged cars, is a form of car title fraud. 

Floods, like other natural disasters, can seriously harm homes and vehicles. Flood vehicles present an enticing chance for crooks to deceive unwary buyers.

This article explores car title fraud and offers tips on recognizing flood-damaged cars. 

How can fraudsters obtain stolen car titles?

Depending on its condition, the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and insurance companies classify a vehicle's title as clear, clean, rebuilt, or salvage.

Cars that require extensive repairs that are more expensive than the automobile is worth are referred to as "salvages." For instance, if the vehicle was vandalized, flooded, or totaled in an accident.

Cars that have been salvaged rarely fetch high prices. To trick you into paying more, used automobile scammers find ways to change the vehicle's identification.

How to tell if a car is a flood-damaged one?

If a car was caught in a flood in the past, you could look for car flood damage symptoms like a non-functioning electrical system, engine, brakes, starter motors, etc. 

Some of the common car flood damage symptoms to look out for are:

1 - Dampness

Water has certainly accessed your automobile if it smells damp, has a wet carpet, or has water in the footwells. As a result, every component of your car needs to be properly inspected. When inspecting a pre-owned automobile, be wary if you detect any dampness. Due to a previous flooding event, there can be more damage present than you realize.

2 – Noises from the engine

Strange noises from your car indicate that the engine has been flooded, especially if there is a white, mayonnaise-like film behind the oil filter cap and a lot of water under the hood. Call a mechanic to have your car inspected and any necessary repairs made because a wet engine is risky.

3 – Electrical system damage

Always check the electrics, whether you're buying a used car and want to make sure it hasn't been affected by flooding, or you're evaluating your car after a lot of rain. It's conceivable that some or all of the electrics in a flooded car won't function.

Therefore, while the engine is running, turn on the lights, close the electronic windows, move the indicators, and check to see if any dashboard warning lights are on. If you notice any issues, additional research is required.

Ending note

If you are in the market for a used car, you must be vigilant against car title fraud. Watch out for the above-mentioned car flood damage symptoms and avoid getting tricked into buying a damaged car. Allen Stewart has vast experience in dealing with various automobile fraud cases.  

Andrew Richardson is the author of this Article. To know more about How to get a certified odometer reading please visit our website: allenstewart.com

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Created on Sep 28th 2022 02:30. Viewed 276 times.

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