# A car-related scam to beware of **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [September 25, 2026, 12:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297 "2026-09-25T12:07:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2026, 12:07pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/1 "2026-09-25T12:07:49Z")
Finally, I found something of value on the Nextdoor site. A local guy was trying to sell his car, and an “interested party” told him that she wanted to see a vehicle history report from **Inspexic**. The seller had never heard of that service, so he did his due diligence, and found the following: **Inspexic is a known vehicle history report scam** used on online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace, Nextdoor, and Gumtree **⚠ How the Scam Works** - **Fake Buyers:** A “buyer” shows immediate interest in a vehicle or item you are selling online without asking basic questions. - **Forced Link:** They insist that you purchase a vehicle history or inspection report from an obscure, specific website like **Inspexic** rather than a trusted, standard provider. - **Data Theft:** When you enter your payment details on the fraudulent site, the scammers steal your credit card information. - **Disappearance:** Once you pay for the report, the fake buyer stops responding and blocks you. **✅ What You Should Do** - **Do Not Buy:** Never purchase a report from a link provided by an interested buyer. - **Block and Report:** Block the user immediately on the platform and report their profile for fraud. - **Use Standard Standards:** If a buyer genuinely wants a report, they should pay for and provide their own due diligence through recognized, official channels. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2026, 5:20pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/2 "2026-09-25T17:20:09Z")
I hate selling cars as much as buying one so it had been over 15 years. I asked my shop how to sell my car and he said facebook. I put signs on and went to OReiley. Customer saw the signs and bought it next day. Priced low. Fast nickel vs slow dime. Cash. Miss that car. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2026, 5:35pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/3 "2026-09-25T17:35:39Z")
> [@bing](#): > > Fast nickel vs slow dime When I tried to sell my Chevy Citation, the general public must have learned about the “issues” of GM’s X-cars, because my classified ads failed to generate… anything. Then, one of the guys at work asked me about its condition, and I was very honest. I said that the engine and trans were in decent shape, and there was minimal rust, but the emergency brake cable was rusted in place (for the third time), and I didn’t want to spend money for another repair to the e-brake. He offered me less than I had planned on getting for that car, but rather than continue to pay for ads, I sold it to him for some fast cash. He was still driving it when he retired a couple of years later, and he claimed that the e-brake still didn’t work. I have no idea how he passed NJ vehicle inspection with an inoperable e-brake–but I didn’t care enough to find out how he managed to keep driving it. ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 12:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/4 "2026-09-26T00:43:54Z")
I don’t like selling cars to privat buyers either. We traded our 2005 Accord and Regal, we sold 2 Cobalts to CarMax due to needed repairs we didn’t want to make. I did sell my 2017 Accord to my son in law in 2023 when his car went kaput. He paid for the state inspection since I gave him a buddy price, and it didn’t need anything. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 1:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/5 "2026-09-26T01:46:11Z")
Mine was pretty much a cream puff. Got cash and went to DMV together to transfer. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 5:02am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/6 "2026-09-26T05:02:29Z")
I don’t like selling to private buyers either, but I had no other way to get rid of the Citation because the Ford dealer refused to take it in trade when I bought a new Taurus. By that time. those X cars had a really bad reputation. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 2:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/7 "2026-09-26T14:15:22Z")
I’m surely glad some people still like to sell cars to a private buyer because that’s how I bought my newish 2026 Highlander Hybrid. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 7:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/8 "2026-09-26T19:14:25Z")
Why would someone sell their 2026 model? Red flag? ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 7:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/9 "2026-09-26T19:45:23Z")
> [@bing](#): > > Why would someone sell their 2026 model? Red flag? Maybe they got in over their head financially Maybe they got diagnosed with a medical condition which will be very expensive to treat ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2026, 9:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/10 "2026-09-26T21:33:22Z")
Or maybe the car was a dud, got into an accident, etc. You can ask why they are selling but medical and financial questions are usually verboten and noyb. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2026, 1:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/11 "2026-09-27T01:27:38Z")
> [@bing](#): > > Why would someone sell their 2026 model? Red flag? Here is Mike talking about this back in May of this year… > [@All New 2027 Highlander EV](https://community.cartalk.com/t/all-new-2027-highlander-ev/205455/10): > > Well, I made a decision and bought an almost new (extremely newish) Highlander Hybrid. My neighbor owns a summer camp up north in the lakes region. Their neighbor (who lives there full time) passed away suddenly. Back in February he bought a new 2026 Toyota Highlander Hybrid Platinum. There was no loan and title was clean. His widowed wife was selling it. Vehicle had less then 5,000 miles. Went up and took a look at it. It was MINT and WASN’T (Black or White) and didn’t have all black interior.… I bought my truck when it was only 10 months old with 12,130 miles on it, it is in great shape and still under full warranty, no prior wrecks or damage… ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2026, 3:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/12 "2026-09-27T15:11:47Z")
Because the owner DIED and the wife already had a 2yo vehicle and didn’t like driving an SUV. Good friend of mine had a summer camp next to them in NH Lakes Region and knew them for decades. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2026, 5:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/13 "2026-09-27T17:32:45Z")
> [@davesmopar](#): > > Here is Mike talking about this back in May of this year… That gotcha didn’t go as planned. 😆 ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2026, 9:04pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/14 "2026-09-27T21:04:09Z")
I asked why and it was explained. Pretty simple. ---
**Author:** ![Old-Days-Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7feea3/32.png) [@Old-Days-Rick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Old-Days-Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2026, 6:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/15 "2026-10-07T18:41:57Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > When I tried to sell my Chevy Citation, the general public must have learned about the “issues” of GM’s X-cars, because my classified ads failed to generate… anything. > Then, one of the guys at work asked me about its condition, and I was very honest. I said that the engine and trans were in decent shape, and there was minimal rust, but the emergency brake cable was rusted in place (for the third time), and I didn’t want to spend money for another repair to the e-brake. > > He offered me less than I had planned on getting for that car, but rather than continue to pay for ads, I sold it to him for some fast cash. He was still driving it when he retired a couple of years later, and he claimed that the e-brake still didn’t work. I have no idea how he passed NJ vehicle inspection with an inoperable e-brake–but I didn’t care enough to find out how he managed to keep driving it. The Citations really were good cars. If they would have made it a RWD it would have been one of the greatest cars ever made. I still saw citations here or there driving around as a daily driver as recently as 10 years ago. They did have issues, yes but remember they were car of the year when they were released. I can’t help feel excitement for the dawning of the 80s when I watch old promotional videos of the Citation! The one where they towed a trailer with no rear wheels on the car to demonstrate the rigidity was my favorite. ---
**Author:** ![MikeInNH](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a587f6/32.png) [@MikeInNH](https://community.cartalk.com/u/MikeInNH)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2026, 6:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/16 "2026-10-07T18:49:27Z")
> [@Old-Days-Rick](#): > > The Citations really were good cars. If they would have made it a RWD it would have been one of the greatest cars ever made Says who? I’ve never everf seen anyone rate this vehicle above UNRELIABLE. I’ve known a few people who owned them back in the 80’s. They were cheap and EXTREMELY UNRELIABLE. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2026, 7:10pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/17 "2026-10-07T19:10:01Z")
> [@Old-Days-Rick](#): > > The Citations really were good cars. If they would have made it a RWD it would have been one of the greatest cars ever made. Great vehicle?? No way , they were just marginal from day one. ---
**Author:** ![Old-Days-Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7feea3/32.png) [@Old-Days-Rick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Old-Days-Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2026, 7:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/18 "2026-10-07T19:41:12Z")
> [@MikeInNH](#): > > Says who? I’ve never everf seen anyone rate this vehicle above UNRELIABLE. I’ve known a few people who owned them back in the 80’s. They were cheap and EXTREMELY UNRELIABLE. I will find and post a video by a top expert in the automotive industry. He talks about the good and bad of the X cars. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/30_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2026, 8:06pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/19 "2026-10-07T20:06:45Z")
> [@Old-Days-Rick](#): > > The Citations really were good cars How many Citations or other “X” cars did you own? I owned one, and I can tell you that it was most definitely NOT a “good” car. A co-worker owned a mechanically-identical Buick Skylark, and she had the same problems I had with my Citation: Clutch & trans problems, brake problems, bad idling, bad (thin) paint, with rust beginning to appear by year two of ownership. The number of owners with valid complaints was… huge… and all of the bad publicity regarding these rolling disasters was the reason why the Ford dealer refused to take it in trade. I was told that they would have so much trouble “unloading” it, that it just wasn’t worthwhile for them. ---
**Author:** ![Old-Days-Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7feea3/32.png) [@Old-Days-Rick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Old-Days-Rick)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2026, 11:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297/20 "2026-10-07T23:12:04Z")
> [@VDCdriver](#): > > How many Citations or other “X” cars did you own? I owned one, and I can tell you that it was most definitely NOT a “good” car. [![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/8/e/8ee2514a7ae1eef12d062b489e13f91689eebc82.jpeg "1980 Chevrolet Citation: Strange, unique, cool & quirky features of GM's first FWD X Car") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYh6KGNd0RI) Ive driven a few, owned none, knew people that owned them. It was the car of the 80s for GM. By the time they rebranded it the Citation II it was a wonderful car. Just watch the promotion videos and pretend its 1979 and you know nothing about the X cars, tell me you wouldn’t be excited. [Next page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/a-car-related-scam-to-beware-of/206297.md?page=2)