Fraud can happen to anyone anywhere, and it is not limited only to one industry. Still, scamming incidents prevail much more in online businesses since the internet is considered a major outlet for scammers to devise their schemes.
Unfortunately, the auto transport industry is only one target for scammers to profit from. Swindling auto transport companies operate in several ways, using different types and forms of scams. In this article, we will explain these scams and demonstrate how to avoid being ripped off by auto transport companies.
How fake auto transport companies operate
Fake auto transport companies try to mislead their victims by observing the work methods of reliable auto transport companies, i.e., they imitate their work practices. For example, they can have smooth-tongued people acting as customer representatives or a website that looks legit enough to make customers believe them.
Most of the time, unreliable auto transport companies steal the content and information of other reputable companies and copy them to their site to create their fake version. They pretend to have a real business so that clients trust them and give them their money. Sometimes scammers play their games masterfully, making it hard to be caught. However, it’s not impossible.
Kinds of auto transport scams
Scammers find different ways to disguise themselves and trick their victims. We will mention below some of the common scams in the auto transport industry.
Bait and switch
Dishonest auto transporters promise their customers to move their vehicles at very low prices. However, when things get real, customers pay a deposit. Once the car is shipped, bait and switch scammers ask their clients to pay extra money for their vehicle’s shipment.
They would fabricate stories about unexpected issues or that they couldn’t find a carrier to haul their vehicles at that low price, forcing their victims to pay more. At this point, customers find themselves stuck with such companies, and they will either pay the required amount to have their cars moved or lose the deposit they paid in case of cancellation.
Buyer-fishing scam
This scam targets those selling vehicles where scammers propose to purchase a vehicle, sometimes at a good price. Then, when it comes to shipping the car, they would ask to transport it with a shipping company they claim to be approved. Sadly, these people are not interested in purchasing the car, and the shipping company they suggest is their own fake company. They do so to succeed in obtaining their customers’ credit information, making them pay a considerable deposit and steal all their money without providing any service.
Fake seller scam
Another way scammers try to rip off clients is by claiming they sell vehicles. For example, they would offer lower prices to get their victims’ attention, leading customers to pay for the car via an untraceable payment method. Eventually, car buyers discover they have been scammed and lost money.
Avoid being ripped off
One major thing we always recommend to avoid fake auto transport companies is not to pay any large deposits in advance, nor provide them with sensitive information, like credit card information or social security number. The following are some ways to ensure the reliability of an auto transport company:
Choose an experienced company
Usually, a scamming business only stays so for a short time. In other words, they cannot prove to have years of experience in the industry. So, choose an auto shipping company with a good reputation that has been in the business for at least three years.
Knowing that the company you are hiring to move your vehicle has been in business for years removes any doubts about it being fake. So, clients can rest assured that their vehicles’ shipment will go easily and smoothly.
Customer reviews matter
Customer ratings and reviews platforms are one of the best tools on the internet to get an idea of the service you are paying good money for. Customer reviews tell a lot about a business, and one can easily determine the reliability of an auto transport company based on previous customers’ experiences.
In addition, fake auto transport companies won’t exist on official platforms like Better Business Bureau (BBB). So, if you can’t find reviews for a company after researching it on a reliable rating platform, it is a telling sign to dismiss hiring it. In some cases, if they have had some reviews, all would surely be negative. So, make sure to read reviews to ensure the reliability of the auto shipping company.
Don’t buy into unrealistic prices
Scammers always propose shipping a vehicle at an unbelievable price because they care about luring customers. This is why it is always recommended to research the market, obtain multiple shipping quotes, and compare them based on services, offered value, and price.
If an auto shipping company gives a shipping cost under market value, it will probably be fake. Reliable auto transport companies always offer an online shipping quote calculator for free that will give customers instant estimates about the shipping costs depending on the information they provide.
Tempus Logix has been in the business for eight years and has moved over 45,000 vehicles nationwide. The company has a wide network of carriers exceeding 25,000 companies to cover all types of shipping services across the country. Additionally, the company’s website provides an AI-based auto shipping cost calculator offering instant and accurate auto shipping quotes.
In the end, people unfamiliar with how the auto transport business works might find it difficult to discern reliable auto transport companies from fake ones. We hope this post will help them learn more about scammers and how to avoid them.