How not to get scammed buying car privately with the title

[hamster_hammand]

Basically what steps do I take to make sure I don't get scammed buying a vehicle in Alberta.

My main concerns are,

1) What steps do I take to make sure the owner doesn't get one of those title loans right before the sale? I can get a carfax and confirm it lien free, however what if the seller 1 hour prior to sale, goes and gets a title loan on the car. How do I protect myself from this?

2) Many sellers on Kijiji are always selling a vehicle for someone. They claim to have a signed registration but are NOT the actual owner of the vehicle. How can I protect against this? Go to the registry with them and don't hand over the cheque until its registered in my name?

When filling out a bill of sale, make sure their drivers license name matches the owner of the vehicle registration? If so they are not title jumping?

[killramos]

Step 1

If a deal seems too good to be true. It probably is.

[bjstare]

Sounds like you should probably buy from a dealer.

Or at the very least, constrain your search to sellers who live west of Deerfoot.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Is hamster_hammand just happy hopping with better grammar and spelling?

[G-ZUS]

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Basically what steps do I take to make sure I don't get scammed buying a vehicle in Alberta.

My main concerns are,

1) What steps do I take to make sure the owner doesn't get one of those title loans right before the sale? I can get a carfax and confirm it lien free, however what if the seller 1 hour prior to sale, goes and gets a title loan on the car. How do I protect myself from this?

2) Many sellers on Kijiji are always selling a vehicle for someone. They claim to have a signed registration but are NOT the actual owner of the vehicle. How can I protect against this? Go to the registry with them and don't hand over the cheque until its registered in my name?

When filling out a bill of sale, make sure their drivers license name matches the owner of the vehicle registration? If so they are not title jumping?

Signed registration are a thing of the past.....

[ExtraSlow]

Signed registration hasn't been an important thing in Alberta for twenty years or longer.

- - - Updated - - -

The bargain finder used to have a bill of sale template printed in each one. I bought cars with just that multiple times. But a napkin is still fine these days.

[jutes]

I didn't even know getting a title loan, or a HELOC on a vehicle, is even possible lol.

Sounds like a great financial decision.

[ercchry]

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Signed registration hasn't been an important thing in Alberta for twenty years or longer.

- - - Updated - - -

The bargain finder used to have a bill of sale template printed in each one. I bought cars with just that multiple times. But a napkin is still fine these days.

Found out last time that the registry is very firm on wet ink BoS

[BokCh0y]

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Found out last time that the registry is very firm on wet ink BoS

Extremely firm. Buyer keeps original and seller gets a copy. Registry only accepts the original.

[rage2]

I never even met the buyer on the q3. We just signed and scanned both ways. Ugliest bos ever and zero wet ink haha. No issues.

[Kloubek]

Personally, I check the ID against the registration - which should be current. I meet up at THEIR home. I take a picture of their license and registration.

Then I whip out the shotgun, place it under their nose, and inform them that if they screw me, it'll be the last time.

OK. Part of that is untrue. I've purchased vehicles in a parking lot before....

[Doozer]

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Extremely firm. Buyer keeps original and seller gets a copy. Registry only accepts the original.

I bought a vehicle in 2021 and got some pushback from AMA when I went to register because everything had been done electronically. Wanted an ink copy. After some discussion they ended up processing it, but I was surprised she was still looking for something signed in pen, especially back during the height of COVID. So the registries seem to be loosening on this, but slowly.

Also to OP, you might be overthinking it. There's always going to be some crazy scenario people can dream up to screw someone else. If the seller hits any red flags to you (won't meet in person, selling someone else's car, has their own sale terms that you're not comfortable with, etc), then bail. Plain and simple.

[BokCh0y]

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I bought a vehicle in 2021 and got some pushback from AMA when I went to register because everything had been done electronically. Wanted an ink copy. After some discussion they ended up processing it, but I was surprised she was still looking for something signed in pen, especially back during the height of COVID. So the registries seem to be loosening on this, but slowly.

Blah.

Oh, good to hear. I bought a Dakota to use for renos prior to covid and the owner gave me the scanned copy vs the inked copy. Registry wouldn't accept it and I had to drive all the way back to the sellers house to obtain the physical inked copy. So now when I buy something, I always take the inked copy to be safe.

[arcticcat522]

Why don't more of you just make up a bill of sale? I mean, of you actually bought the car, but didn't have the ink copy, just creat a fake one. How would you ever get caught? I may or may not have done this a few times. I must be a criminal for not seeing this as a big deal.

[ExtraSlow]

It's correct that there is no issue or difficulty with creating a bill of sale that has an ink signature from an individual who may not be one of the legal parties involved in the transaction.

Its a crazy world out there. Sometimes people can't sign because of physical infirmity. Or just preference. Who am I to judge? I just want to assist.

[max_boost]

check id against insurance registration usually does the trick
run car fax or vin check at registry etc.
99% of people are legit i say and usually prepared to show you carfax, service history etc which has the name/addy of the seller etc.
good luck

[tonytiger55]

Q1. Its not straightforward as getting a loan in a hour. The type of person who even could get approved in a hour would unlikely be doing that. The person who does very likely has issues with regular income, credit score, debit and savings. So they would be screened out in most cases.

Q2. Not a exact answer but this may help.
If you are in a tight situation. Profile the person you are buying it from. How old do they look, ask what they do, why are they selling? Are they married? Do they have kids. If so does the condition match the lifestyle etc. Does the profile match the type of vehicle they are selling? Does the wear and tear match the profile of the type of person driving it? I.e family person vs young boy racer vs a young woman who do not maintain the vehicle?
Before you buy both of you take it to a mechanic to do a inspection. Pay attention to the sellers body language.

Ive had this scenario a couple of years ago. The vehicle did not match the sellers profile and the condition of the vehicle to the untrained eye was junk.

[M.alex]

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Extremely firm. Buyer keeps original and seller gets a copy. Registry only accepts the original.

Not always - I bought a car from a guy who wasn't here and did everything by email/scan.

When I went to register it, the first two registries refused unless I gave them an original copy.

The third registry I went to frowned but ultimately accepted the copy.

[BokCh0y]

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Not always - I bought a car from a guy who wasn't here and did everything by email/scan.

When I went to register it, the first two registries refused unless I gave them an original copy.

The third registry I went to frowned but ultimately accepted the copy.

So the lesson here to make sure you're pretty and show some boobs hahaha.