How to protect yourself from buying a stolen vehicle

There are thousands of cars that have been stolen. There are also many people looking for cheap cars. That means checking dozens of used cars before you buy. However, there are plenty of good used vehicles out there, you should simply be cautious when you buy. Here is the list of things that will help you determine whether a vehicle is stolen:

If you’re still unsure about the vehicle, ask the sellerabout the VIN and run a VIN check once you get it. It’s a quick and reliable way to see if the car was stolen, as well as finding more information that could be hidden by the seller. A VIN check will always reveal if the vehicle is a lemon.

How can sellers refuse to show you the registration documents?

V5C registration documents tell you if the seller is an official owner of the vehicle. However, fraudulent sellers often will tell you that this form is being updated. That can only be true if the seller has recently changed the place of residence. However, it’s never a good sign. Many advisewalking away if there is no V5C, and you should not make any deals before you see the documents.

You may also be told that a V5C is needed to update the ownership. That can also be true if the seller has just bought the vehicle. If that is the case, ask the seller to provide you with a green slip.

VIN check and ID numbers check

When you get the registration documents, compare numbers there with the following:

If the numbers don’t match, walk away from the seller and inform the police, because the vehicle is stolen.