Auto Scams

The Auto category deals with fraud that you could be a victim of when dealing with cars, other than buying-selling. That means car rental scams, vehicle repair scams, shady mechanics, fake traffic tickets, ride-sharing tricks (Uber scams and Lyft scams) and so on.

Educate yourself by reading the list below.

Parking on Private Lot

How the scam works: (with video below) You finally find a parking spot and are happy to see there is no signage indicating  'No Parking'. You visit a couple of shops, run a few errands and return to see somebody waiting for you. They say you're parked on their private property and have a wheel […]

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Phone Call While Negotiating

How the scam works: You are in a dealership and negotiate the price of a car with a salesperson. You really love the car and try to get off as much as possible. Suddenly, the agent's cell phone rings and it is clear that the caller is interested in exactly the same car. The agent talks […]

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Photo with Different Price

How the scam works: This occurs when a vehicle is listed online with a written description giving one price, e.g. $12,000, while the photo attached has a different price written on it, e.g $8,500.  When asked about it, the crook will say the price is $8,500 explaining it was reduced for sympathy reasons, such as […]

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Rental Car Damage

Rental Car Damage Scam: How It Works (with video below) Did you ever rent a car only to have an unpleasant experience when you return it? Imagine this. You've been on vacation for the last two weeks and don't have a care in the world, driving around in a rental vehicle that you are just […]

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Rental Car Overdue

Rental Car Overdue Scam: How It Works (with video below) You've been doing your job with a car that you rented for a few days. It is Friday and you have to return the vehicle. As you give back the keys and wait for them to check the vehicle, they present you with an invoice […]

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Gas Station Skimmer

Gas Station Skimmer: How It Works How often do you fill your gas tank? Once a week, every second week? The more important question is, how often do you pay for it with your credit card? Similar to what criminals do at ATMs, the Credit Card Skimmer Scam is done at some gas pumps […]

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Hidden Rebates

How the scam works: You are attracted by a car that's for sale at a great price, even lower than the MSRP (Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price). You hurry to buy the car, but what they “forget” to tell you is that the price offered already includes the rebate. The rebate you were offered doesn't really exist, […]

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Lease Interest Rate

Lease Interest Rate Scam: How It Works Whenever a car is leased, there are several tricks that put more of your money needlessly into the dealer's pocket. A common tactic is for dealers to offer a fantastic lower rate, which in reality is much higher. How? Most of them give you the interest rate without […]

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Lease Extended Warranty

Lease Extended Warranty Scam: How It Works Several questionable car dealers add an extended warranty into a leasing deal. The thing is, the extended warranty is already factored into the monthly payments! Alternatively, the scammers get their victims to buy warranties that are even longer than the life of the lease, as in a 48-month […]

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Lease One-time Payment

How the scam works: A car dealer might say he is doing you a favor. Instead of having you pay the one-time fees while closing a deal, he will authorize for you to pay them over the life of the lease. If you agree to this, your $600 deposit could be $1,200 by the end […]

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Leasing: Security Deposit Scam

Lease Security Deposit Scam: How It Works You are excited to see a dealer advertising a $0 security deposit. There is no such thing, as the security deposit is always factored in the lease, under the provisions for disposition fees. This is just a trick to get your business. They could also change the name of […]

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Lease Termination Fee Scam

Lease Termination Fee Scam: How It Works This is the mother of all leasing scams. When closing the agreement, you ask the dealer what would happen if you terminated the lease early and what would be the penalty for it. “Absolutely no problem,” he says. “There is a termination fee of $289.” He is not […]

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Note on the Back Window

How the scam works: As weird as this sounds, it's a scenario that actually happens in parking lots. Crooks target people with bags, purses or other valuables You go to your car and jump in, ready to drive off. You put your bag on the passenger seat and turn on the engine. Naturally, you take […]

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Congestion Charge Zone

Congestion Charge Zone: How The Scam Works (with video below) You might be a victim of this scam if you live in the United  Kingdom. The Congestion Charge Zone (CCZ) is an area where every motorist must pay a daily fee to drive there. The charge was aimed at reducing congestion and raising funds to […]

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Fuel Tax Refund

How the scam works: If you are a Canadian truck driver working often in the US, one day you might get approached by a “consultant” who tells you they can help you reclaim taxes paid on gas bought in the United States. It sounds worthwhile and they assure you it's a no-risk activity, as they […]

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Gas Saver Liquid Scam

How the scam works: (with video below) If you are looking for ways to improve gas mileage, make sure don't fall for the Gas Saver Liquid aka Fuel Saver scam. How does it work? Let's say you're on your way home from work, and you feel like a million bucks. So much so that you […]

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