Protection when Selling Your Car

Selling a car is a daunting task. In spite of getting it sold at the right price, it is difficult to deal with strangers. In these situations, it is hard to find if the potential buyer is a scam or not. Getting counterfeit money or check bounced is usually the reason why people are afraid of private selling.

But by following these safety measures and staying alert through the selling process, you can sell your car safely. Here's what you should do.

Go for Safe Payment Method

Never accept the payment through online checks or online money transfers. The best and safest payment method is cash. Do not hesitate to communicate your choice of payment method. However, there is still a chance that the cash can be counterfeit. To ensure that the cash is real, you can take a trustworthy person with you to have the money checked.

If the buyer insists on paying through a check, have them meet you at the bank. Confirm the legitimacy of the check from the bank, then proceed to hand over the keys or paperwork of your car.

However, if you are selling a car through an online marketplace, the buyer will make payment only through the method recommended by the website. If the buyer asks otherwise, know that that's a scam.

Payment is the reason why most people get scared of selling their cars online. With the necessary precautions, you can sell your car successfully without getting scammed.

Stay Away from Tire Kickers

Screening the buyer before arranging a meeting is the best you can do to stay away from tire kickers. Selling your car privately will have you encounter a number of time wasters who will keep digging in the details of the car but are not going to buy it anyway.

Let the buyer ask as much as they want during the phone call. You should ask their name and residence to know if they are serious or not. It is nice to ask the buyer to show their driving license during the meeting.

Also, if someone asks to buy the car without even seeing it, the buyer is not trustworthy as this could be a scheme of identity theft or money laundering.

Take Care of Car Sale Receipts

Documenting the whole sales process from start to finish is a wise approach. The paper trail will document all the dates, phone calls, and times. Document the end of the sale very carefully, reporting that the sale is complete.

Be aware of your country's laws regarding selling and buying vehicles. Depending on the country, you may have to get in touch with the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Documenting everything and preparing the necessary paperwork lessens the risk of being held liable for a fraudulent transaction.

Stay Alert during the Meeting

Choose a safe place for meeting with your potential buyer and preferably go along with your friend or a family member. Try not to give your address, rather find a public place to meet where you can proceed with the deal. There is no need to tell the buyer about anything other than your first name.

In many cities, police provide space to the citizens within their parking lots to hold meetings for their business deals. Since there are cameras and you can be sure of having police around in case of help, you can make deals with a clear mind.

Keep your family informed of the place you are going. It's even better to share your live location with any family member.

Though there are not many cases of people getting harmed during private selling, still it's better to stay vigilant and take all the precautionary measures to avoid any problem.

Keep Your Personal Data Protected

While selling your car, there is no need to provide your personal information to any stranger during the initial conversation. Sometimes you cannot get an idea of whether the potential buyer is serious or not. Telling a lot about yourself may put you in regrets later.

While preparing an advertisement, don't provide your personal phone number or email. You should go with your business number, if any. This is the most professional way to deal with such situations. Also, it is recommended to tell a made-up name to the potential buyer. But during all this, be a trustworthy seller.

Don't try to share or ask for any personal details from the buyer. You are not supposed to make the buyer aware of your interests or family members. Moreover, once the deal is finalized, carefully remove all your personal information that is in your car.

More often than not, online car buying services don't even ask to share your phone number. They usually have encrypted email options that allow you to make a deal without revealing your identity. Once everything is finalized, the rest can be done on the phone calls.

Be Careful During the Test Drive

Test drive provides an opportunity for the fraudulent to make a wrong attempt. You can ensure safety by asking the buyer for a copy of their license or identity card. Other than that, have a friend staying with you throughout the meeting and during the test drive. You may also have insurance covering you during the test drive. For that, you can ask your insurance company to be there with you. Let them be aware of the matter beforehand.

Final Verdict

Staying transparent throughout the selling process will keep you away from fraudulent claims after the sale. You also have to be more vigilant and aware when selling your vehicle privately. Since identity theft is very common these days, anyone can make an attempt to get your personal information disguised as a buyer.

To sell your car safely in Essex, leave the hustle and bustle of dealing with strangers and sell your car with SellingMyCarOnline.co.uk. Our professional and highly educated staff will make the whole process easier for you. Get in touch with our team today.