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Imagine that you own a car dealership where you trade used cars and new cars. One fine day, the stock of used flood-damaged cars increases and you have a long line of used cars on your lot. The scenario holds true for many American dealerships after Hurricane Florence in September 2018. The question of the hour is: Would you knowingly purchase a vehicle that is flood-damaged? The answer for many would be a blaring no, which is the exact reason why incidences of title washing are increasing after natural disasters.

Used Car Buyers Beware of Car Title Washing Scam

When a damaged car is declared a salvaged vehicle or “branded” by an insurance company, the cost to repair the car becomes too expensive as compared to its market value. Therefore, unscrupulous car dealers, purchase the damaged vehicle for very little money, take it to a different state and have a new title issued to the car. The new title contains no details of the previous “branded” title. As the branded title/salvaged title of a car is not get recognized in the current state, the old title gets washed away of the previous negative branding.

How can you avoid buying a Title-Washed Car?

According to Forbes.com, an estimated 20,000 to 40,000 cars were lost or declared damaged due to Hurricane Florence. With a huge number of damaged cars, the risk of purchasing a title-washed car increases phenomenally. However, you can avoid getting into the trap of purchasing a damaged used car by keeping in mind the following steps:

1. Ask for a Vehicle History Report

Usually, you will find all about the past of the car in its vehicle history report. You can use National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, CARFAX or AutoCheck to check a vehicle’s history. If the car had a different title in the past, it will show up in the vehicle history report. Check whether the car had a flood-damaged title or a salvaged title.

2. Inspect the Car

Unless you are purchasing a car from a trusted and reputed dealership, you should always have the car inspected. Ask your trusted mechanic to check for any major repairing done in the past. He should check for all the signs for flood damage such as presence of musty smell, rust under the vehicle, etc. Also, check for any potential issues with the used car that can cause a safety concern in the future.

3. Choose from the Best

You should make it a point to purchase a used car from reputed dealers or private parties only. A good track record of the seller reduces your chances of getting stuck with a salvaged vehicle. Seek recommendations from your social circle and conduct an online research before making a car buying decision. Remember it is best to avoid an impulsive purchase.

By following the above-mentioned steps, you will be able to shield yourself from the scam of title washed cars.

Last Step: Identify and Report Scams

Dealership frauds are not uncommon. So, if you suspect that a dealer is knowingly selling a title-washed car, make sure you contact your local law enforcement agency, your auto insurance company or the National Insurance Crime Bureau. It is essential to prevent yourself and other car buyers from falling into the trap of car title washing scams.

The journey of buying a car should not be of full of scams and so keep the above points in mind while purchasing your next vehicle.

It has been beneficial for many borrowers, and it can be the same for you as well. Here are some tips that can make the process of home loan quite easier for you. Note them down:
Know your credit score: Hold on before you submit your loan application and give some of your precious time to pull out of credit report. This is very important because every lender checks and verifies the credit score of the borrower thoroughly before lending money. A bad credit score is able to keep you from owning your own dream house. Many of you might be overconfident of having a good credit score that you might not feel the need of checking the credit report. If so is the case with you, we recommend you to know about identity theft and then take your decision.
Deposit in a single account: Zero down payment loan means that you need not finance any money for the home loan before own the property. You don’t need money when you visit the lender’s office. But a wise thing to do is to keep all your money in a single bank account. When lenders receive your loan application, they consider every point to know your credibility. If you have sufficient money in your account, the lenders can be convinced easily that you can pay back the loan on time. However, a small amount of money in the account can create a suspicious situation.
Consider income limits: Zero down home loans are basically meant for borrowers who cannot afford the traditional mortgage. To avoid misuse of the policy and program, a set of rules is formulated relating to the income limits. This limits the category of borrowers who are eligible for the loan. However, the income limit differs from company to company, property to property and location to location. Keep this point in your mind when you consider the second point, i.e., keeping all money in a single account.
Continue your job: Although rural housing loan policies differ and depend upon several factors. But one of the elements that are common among all is a minimum of two years of job experience. Frequent changes in your income status and employment can delay or even cancel the mortgage process. Qualifying for a loan then becomes much tougher than the situation resulted from a continuous job.
Clear all previous debts and avoid new ones: Debts are a significant factor in determining your qualifying rate as well as the loan amount. A person with zero amount in his credit card will surely be given less priority than the one who owes less to his creditors. This is the reason why you’re suggested to pay off all your previous loans and avoid new loans. Before you apply for zero down home loans, no loan should be left pending, and no application for any other loan should be given.
Know your affordability: You need to get pre-approval for the mortgage loan before you submit your loan application. Then comes the time when you need to know and decide what you afford. Lenders determine your affordability on the basis of your income, credit score and several other factors. They also consider how much you spend on what. So, it’s better to keep your daily expenses under control and then go for a house according to your affordability.