NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — The NYPD and New York State DMV have noticed a surge in online scams involving the sale of stolen cars, and the agencies are alerting consumers of the dangers of making a unregulated purchases.
Officials warned New Yorkers to be wary of cars for sale on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and similar resale websites. Recent investigations by the DMV and law enforcement have discovered an increase in stolen car sales on those sites, including the sale of vehicles sporting altered identification numbers and forged titles.
“When someone is purchasing a vehicle through a private sale, they lose the protections that are afforded to them when they buy from an auto dealer, so it is very important that buyers take every precaution they can to make sure they are buying from a reputable seller,” DMV Commissioner Mark Schroeder said. “Unfortunately, there are many scammers out there waiting to take advantage of someone who needs a low-cost vehicle.”
In the last week, the state DMV said that it has recovered 228 stolen vehicles worth $6.35 million. Of the 228 vehicles, 149 were purchased by a victim who saw it posted on a resale site.