Vehicle History, a company that offers a free VIN decoder service for consumers buying used vehicles, is warning consumers about a scam that could cause them to get bad information about a car.
“We just recently learned about this scam – which was obviously created with VIN decoder sites in mind,” said Vanessa Hernandez, a spokeswoman for Vehicle History. “And we wanted to warn our readers right away before they use our free VIN decoder system.”
In general, a VIN decoder asks the user to input the VIN number of a vehicle to find out if it is stolen, or if there are any other red flags that would influence the purchase of the used vehicle. This makes it more difficult for less-than-honest dealers in the used car industry to succeed with their scam.
“Criminals always try to stay one step ahead of the game,” she said. “So what they are doing is removing the VIN plates from the dashboard and inside the driver’s side door, and then etching a different VIN – from a car with a clean record – on the windshield itself.”
When potential customers ask about why there is no VIN in the usual places the shady dealers tell them that for 2016 models the practice is to etch the windshield instead.
“No manufacturer would ever do that,” she said. “Think about it – if your windshield were broken and replaced, which is fairly common, you’d lose your VIN number. Plus it’s against the law. The VIN has to be in the places designated by the government.”
Vehicle History advises car buyers who encounter VIN numbers etched in the windshield not to buy the car, and to alert local authorities.
“The only reason that a VIN number would be etched there is to defeat VIN decoder systems like ours,” she said. “Nobody wants to defeat an online VIN decoder because they have good intentions.”
About VehicleHistory.com:
VehicleHistory.com was created to serve the needs of public records clients across North America. With thousands of requests processed each day, VehicleHistory.com continues to grow as a reputable customer service resource.
Visit the secure website at VehicleHistory.com for a free VIN lookup, call 1-855-730-5194, or use our contact form to email us with any questions or concerns.
Media Contact
Company Name: VehicleHistory.com
Contact Person: Vanessa Hernandez
Email: manager@vehiclehistory.com
Phone: 855-730-5194
Address:10777 W. Twain Ave Suite 125
City: Las Vegas
State: Nevada
Country: United States
Website: https://www.vehiclehistory.com/