FBI warns of new tactic in vehicle sale scam

Before you buy a car online, the FBI says you need to know of a new tactic scam artists are using to gain your trust, take your money, and leave you without a ride.

The basic scam is not a new one. The criminal posts an online ad to sell a vehicle. The deal requires the buyer to send the money to a third-party to ensure a safe transaction, but the vehicle is never delivered.

But now, scammers are claiming to be members of the United States military in their ads. They claim they need to sell a car quickly and cheaply because of a current or upcoming deployment.

The FBI suggests customers do as much research as possible before agreeing to purchase a vehicle in an online deal.

Be aware of the rules or warnings posted on the web site and know that if someone is asking you to break or avoid those rules, it is possible that person is trying to scam you.

If you have fallen victim to this type of scam, you're asked to file a complaint at www.ic3.gov.

source: kstp