Overview
Automotive fraud is a growing problem both on and off the Internet, and automotive e-commerce Web sites such as cars.com are not immune to such problems. While the vast majority of vehicle listings on cars.com are legitimate, you should be aware that certain individuals post vehicle listings on cars.com for the sole purpose of scamming potential car buyers.
In the same manner, the vast majority of e-mail and phone leads that are sent to sellers using our Web site are from real, interested buyers. However, you should be aware that certain individuals may contact a seller or express an interest in purchasing a seller's vehicle for the sole purpose of scamming the seller.
We have also received reports that Internet scam artists are illegally using the cars.com name and logo along with e-mail addresses that spoof or are confusingly similar to cars.com e-mail addresses (such as support@cars-support.com and financial@cars-safeharbour.com) to make their fraudulent pitches seem more legitimate. These techniques may be used to defraud both car buyers and car sellers.
When using the Internet, you should always exercise caution and common sense. When using the cars.com Web site, you can help protect yourself by learning more about how the cars.com service operates and taking the precautions outlined below. If an activity seems suspicious or a transaction seems unbelievably good, it probably is.
Deceptive E-Mails & Claims
Cars.com merely acts as forum in which potential buyers can search listings of vehicles for sale and contact sellers to discuss the specifics of the vehicle, arrange for an inspection or a test drive, and/or possibly enter into an agreement to purchase the vehicle. All transactions are between buyers and sellers. Be aware that cars.com never participates in transactions between buyers and sellers. Specifically, we do not sell vehicles, collect payments for vehicles, warehouse vehicles, or ship vehicles. Similarly, we do not offer escrow services ourselves but have partnered with
Escrow.com to offer escrow to our sellers and buyers. If you decide to use an escrow service other than
Escrow.com, we strongly encourage you to research the service's history and reputation before using it. Finally, given the nature of our service, you should be aware that we do not and cannot verify the authenticity or legitimacy of any buyer or seller.
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
