Greg's Corner

Used car scams have this one thing in common

With so many states reopening and taxpayers are flush with cash from their stimulus checks many consumers are looking to purchase a new vehicle.

eBay has been selling vehicles on its platform for over a decade now. eBay Motors can be a good place to search if you’re looking for a specific make and model of vehicle. eBay even has a Vehicle Protection Plan that will cover certain losses associated with fraud. However, con artists are using eBay’s name and branding to rip off people looking to purchase a new vehicle.

Within the past week there have been a number of reports of used car scams that have had an eBay element to them. Please keep in mind that eBay is not actually involved in any of these scams.

In Louisiana, the Better Business Bureau there is warning consumers about purchasing cars where an online ad promises the eBay Vehicle Protection Plan. They’re saying that if you see the promise of the Vehicle Protection Plan on any other platform besides eBay, like craigslist, there’s a good likelihood that the ad could be a scam.

In another scam that seems to be occurring in multiple locations across the country, scammers are asking for payment in eBay gift cards for vehicles that don’t exist. In Virginia, scammers are said to be using emails with official-looking eBay branding to lure unsuspecting victims into paying for vehicles with eBay gift cards. A similar scam is also taking place in Omaha, Nebraska where a couple lost $4500 after trying to pay for a motorcycle with eBay gift cards.

Anybody with a half-decent knowledge of computers can claim that their vehicle is protected by eBay’s Vehicle Protection Plan or make their email look like it’s from eBay. So unless you’re actually shopping on eBay, those promises and branding are more than likely nothing more than stolen assets. Also, gift cards are the currency of scammers since they’re virtually untraceable once the serial numbers are given out. If someone online ever asks you to make any payment using any kind of gift card, there’s a high probability you’re being scammed.