Police out with warning about used car sale scam

Waterloo Regional Police issued a warning Thursday about what they say is an emerging used car sale scam.

“The used car sale scam involves fraudsters advertising vehicles for sale online. The victim then meets with the fraudster and arrangements are made for the sale of the vehicle. There is no used vehicle information packages (UVIP) provided by the purported seller, usually only a make-shift bill of sale. The vehicle is sold “as-is” and the buyer is told they will need to have a safety inspection completed by a mechanic before registering the vehicle with the Ministry of Transportation (MTO).” according to a police news release.

Once the victim has the required repairs completed, they go to the MTO to obtain licence plates and a permit and discover that the vehicle is stolen.  

Police say a Kitchener resident was recently scammed from a seller in the Greater Toronto Area. They paid $5,000 for the vehicle, received a bill of sale and a signed ownership slip, then paid another $1,500 to have the vehicle certified. When the victim showed up at the MTO to transfer the vehicle into their name, they found out it had previously been stolen from York Region.

Regional police offered up the following tips for consumers to keep in mind when purchasing a used vehicle:

• Carefully review the Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP). In Ontario, sellers must legally provide this package to a buyer when selling a pre-owned vehicle.
• Request the seller provide valid personal identification and compare it to the ownership – they must match.
• Ask for a vehicle identification number (VIN) check and request to take the car for an independent inspection.
• Beware of sellers who want to close the sale as quickly as possible. Take time to think the purchase through, ask questions and consult with a professional.