Curb Stoning & Title Washing
Curb stoning occurs when a dealer has an inferior
or damaged car he can’t sell on his lot . He gives the
car to a salesperson to sell through the classifieds,
as if it were a private party sale . A title history
report will show that the title recently changed
hands and could reveal that it is a lemon or an
otherwise branded car . Be suspicious if the seller’s
name is different from the name on the title .
Title washing occurs when scam artists try to sell a
salvage vehicle by concealing its history of damage
from a buyer . Although a vehicle’s title should show
if it has been damaged or salvaged, some states do
not document titles in the same way as other states .
By moving a vehicle and its title through several
different states, con artists try to “wash” out the
title branding of salvage or damage . The best way
to avoid this trick is to buy only from reputable
dealers and/or to get a title guarantee in writing .

Dealers Posing As Individuals
Some dealers pretend to be private sellers to avoid
legal obligations and to sell problematic cars to
unsuspecting buyers . Be wary: if an ad gives only a
mobile number or specifies a time to call; if the same
number appears in several ads; or the seller wants to
bring the car to you or meet you somewhere .

Credit And Sublease brokers
Con artists often prey on people who have bad 
credit and who cannot get car loans . “Credit
brokers” promise to get a loan for you in exchange
for a high fee . In many cases, the “broker” takes
the fee and disappears . “Sublease brokers” charge
a fee to arrange for you to “sublease” or “take
over” someone else’s car lease or loan . Such deals
usually violate the original loan or lease agreement .
Your car can be repossessed even if you’ve made
all of your payments . You also might have trouble
insuring your car .


• Contact the manufacturer, as well as the dealer, to
report the problem . Check your owner’s manual or
the directory for the auto manufacturer (p . 61) .
• Help other consumers avoid purchasing your lemon
by registering it at www .safetyforum .com .
The Center for Auto Safety gathers
information and complaints concerning safety defects,
recalls, service bulletins and state lemon laws .