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Step 1
Avoid listings that ask for payment before you can see the car. You don't have to pay a seller to schedule a meeting with the dealer to see the car. Report any seller that asks for an upfront payment.
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Step 2
Deal only with sellers within your own country. Sellers outside of the country are often scammers. It is more difficult to resolve any issues with foreign sellers. It's also harder to schedule a time to see the vehicle you want to purchase in person.
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Step 3
Determine if the seller is using a third party to sell their vehicle. Yahoo! Autos never has possession of a vehicle, nor does it have possession of it with any outside agents or dealers as stated by its Terms of Service. If a seller requests any type of transaction dealing with a third party, this is a scam.
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Step 4
Require a picture and, if possible, a face-to-face meeting with the seller. An honest seller will provide as many pictures as you want and will try to schedule a time to meet so you can view the car. Sellers who avoid contact probably have something to hide about the car.
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Step 5
Review the price vs. the Kelley Blue Book value. If the car is extremely overpriced or grossly underpriced, you might be looking at a scam. Avoid overpriced vehicles. Ask the seller why the vehicle is underpriced. The reasons could vary. If the reason doesn't make sense, the scammer might be trying to get any money he can.
