OC Pro Tip: Selling a car? If someone wants a car report from an obscure site they specify, it's likely a scam.
TLDR; Pretty much the title. They send you a specific link for the $30 report they want and then they never show up to see the car.
I've been in the process of getting my 2nd vehicle prepped to sell, and after a bunch of maintenance and detailing it's finally ready. I listed it the other day on a few sites and started getting messages today. I was so relieved that it seemed like it was going to move quickly and as I'm texting the first lead another one messages me asking if it's still available! First lead asks for a report I'd never heard of, waits for me to question then sends me a link. Decided to search the web to see what it is first and it seems ok. I'm busy and guy #1 starts to pressure me to get the report. Feels weird. I message guy #2 and ask him if he wants a carfax. No. He wants a different sites specific report...
They both had the same format:
1). Car still available? Condition of car?
2). Where is car at? Can you meet tomorrow?
3). You agree to meet at a certain time, then they'll be like "Oh, one last thing, can you get me the TVD or BMT or *** report, 3 letters specific to the site they want you to use.
4). They wait for you to ask "what report?"
5). They send you the site address and tell you that they'll need it by X time, so that they can get time off the next day.
6). Around this time, or a little before they will also drop "oh I'm ***** btw". Seems like it's just to solidify the genuine nature of what seems to be a purposefully paced interaction.
Luckily I didn't purchase either, but the rub is you buy a $30 report and then they ghost you. You can get reports from lots of sites but they all mostly pull from the same federal database. Found this one that's recognized from the NMVTIS (government agency) and is $3.50
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