Last Updated: September 29, 2026
5 Common Car Buying Scams to Avoid in 2026
Used car buying can feel risky, but knowing what car buying scams to watch for protects your wallet.
This guide covers five common car buying scams, how to spot them, and how to protect yourself.
Red Flags When Buying a Used Car
Odometer rollbacks make old cars look newer by rolling back mileage. Check the vehicle history report against the odometer reading and walk away if numbers don't match.
Title washing hides damaged cars by moving them across state lines. Request a full vehicle history report and ask about accidents or damage.
Curbstoning involves unlicensed dealers reselling auction cars as private sales. Ask how long the seller has owned the vehicle.
Spot delivery and yo-yo financing involve dealers pressuring worse loan terms after you leave. Get pre-approved financing before you shop.
Fake online listings use stolen photos and describe nonexistent cars. Verify with recent photos and request a video call showing the actual vehicle.
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VIN cloning puts a legitimate VIN on a stolen car.
Used Car Buying Checklist 2026
Before buying any used car: get a vehicle history report, verify the VIN matches all paperwork, request a pre-purchase inspection from a certified mechanic, check the odometer against the history, ask about accidents or damage, test drive in various conditions, review the title, get pre-approved financing, avoid wire transfers to strangers, meet in a public place during daylight, get a bill of sale in writing, and never rush the decision.
Buying a used car shouldn't feel like a gamble. The scams are real, but they're predictable once you know what to look for.
At Doug Cupples, we've helped hundreds of families find reliable vehicles safely. We stand behind every car we sell with certified inspections and genuine warranties.
Schedule a test drive today and see the difference honest dealing makes.
Ask for Doug Cupples @ 641-521-8725 text or call.
"What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?"
DougCupples content is educational market commentary, not individualized financial or purchasing advice. Figures reflect the reporting dates shown and move quickly — confirm current numbers before you act on them.
Before you use this information
Auto market guidance works best when it is tied to a real vehicle, a real quote, and a real deadline.
If this article changes how you are thinking about a purchase, save the listing, the VIN, the mileage, the asking price, and the city where the vehicle is advertised.
For a trade-in question, write down your payoff amount, the vehicle condition, and any independent appraisal you already have.
For a financing question, compare the APR, the term, the down payment, the total amount financed, and the full out-the-door number.
Those details make it much easier to separate a fair Central Iowa deal from a monthly payment that only looks comfortable because the loan got longer.
When a price looks appealing, check whether the discount is attached to a required add-on, a longer term, a higher rate, or a trade allowance that moved money from one line to another.
When a vehicle looks expensive, check local supply before you walk away; a scarce trim can hold its number while a similar model across town has room to move.
The practical move is to slow the deal down long enough to compare the total cost, not just the headline price or the payment printed in large type.
Doug can help turn those details into better questions for the salesperson, the sales manager, or the finance office before you sign.
That is especially useful when the decision is close, because small changes in rate, term, fees, trade allowance, or timing can move the real cost by hundreds or thousands of dollars.
If you are shopping around Newton, Des Moines, or the surrounding Central Iowa market, local inventory and dealer supply matter more than a national headline.
- Ask for the out-the-door price in writing before you discuss payment.
- Compare similar vehicles within driving distance, not national averages alone.
- Check how long the specific VIN has been in stock.
- Confirm whether each fee is required by the state, the lender, or the dealership.