Wisconsin DMV says be aware of fake auto dealers scamming you if buying a vehicle online

The Wisconsin Division of Motor Vehicles says they are seeing a trend in the number of scams by vehicle sellers posing as official car dealers online.

The department says “The scam starts online as a fake storefront when an individual creates a website or a social media profile claiming to be a Wisconsin dealership. Stock images or photos of real vehicles and real Wisconsin dealerships are included to make the website seem legitimate, with the advertised vehicles often being listed at below market value causing consumers to become interested.

The Wisconsin DMV is aware of multiple cases that follow this pattern, with fraudulently created websites or Facebook profiles alleging to be legitimate Wisconsin dealerships.

The fraudsters interact with the consumers by phone or email, and they will send the buyer a bill of sale and several photos of a vehicle and agree to sell by wire transfer, with the buyer believing the seller will ship the car to them. After the wire transfer is completed, the seller stops all contact, and the customer eventually realizes they’ve become a victim of fraud.”

The Wisconsin DOT give some tips to avoid being taken in these kinds of scams.

They say to research the auto dealer, verifying phone number, address, email and other contact information.

Ensure the selling dealer uses a Motor Vehicle Purchase Contract as required by Wisconsin law.

And verify the seller is listed on the active dealers list to verify they are a licensed dealer. The list is available to the public and updated daily at wisconsindmv.gov/dealerlist.