Craigslist buyers beware: For sale by owner, sold by dealer (2024)

Henrietta Howard believed she was dealing with a private seller when she agreed to buy a Kia Amanti. She was really purchasing the car from Fort Myers Motors Ltd. on Fowler Street. And now, she said, the company won't give her the title.

Howard found the car on Craigslist and the man she believed was the owner, met her in a Walgreens parking lot to show her the car.

The Fort Myers woman is on disability and had been saving for a car. She finally found one she could afford and, even though it was 10 years old, it looked beautiful.

Instead of making the deal there, the seller said they needed to go over to his friend's car dealership, so she could sign the papers. That's how Howard ended up in a deal with Fort Myers Motors, the company listed on the bill of sale.

Howard received a temporary tag for the car, but no title. Soon things started to go wrong with the car. Over the next two weeks, Howard put $695 into repairs. But she still had no title from a sale made June 20.

When she went to the dealership, she said the owner wanted a "dealership fee," Howard said, before he turned over the title.

"He doesn't want to turn it loose. I cried and I cried," Howard said, but the owner demanded she leave the property.

Howard filed a complaint about Fort Myers Motors with Florida's Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles.

The department wouldn't talk about Howard's complaint because it is under investigation. This will be the sixth time this year the department has responded to a complaints about Fort Myers Motors and the 10th complaint on record.

Two are open, but in the other eight the department found violations including false advertising, misuse of dealer license and tags, not providing titles and violations of odometer disclosure. Despite these violations, the company's dealer license was renewed in April.

LINK: More investigations and consumer reports from Melanie Payne

I called the dealership and on my second try reached a man who said Howard doesn't want to pay the tax on the sale of the car. He took my number and said his office manager would call me. She didn't.

Howard's bill of sale shows the car was $2,900 and the tax of $174 was paid. The dealer processing fee, tag and title fee are listed as "N/A" and the balance remaining is $0.00.

Another problem with Howard's car is that the odometer reading, according to the bill of sale, is "exempt." The car, when it came to auction just a few days before Howard purchased it, had 126,286 miles. The car also had been in an accident a few years ago and the airbag had deployed.

Ted Smith, president of the Florida Automobile Dealers Association, said dealers should have the title when they sell the car and they should also post mileage and give an odometer statement. Dealers are required to produce a title in 30 days.

Many dealers do charge a processing fee, he said, for inspecting, cleaning and processing sales documents. But if it wasn't charged at time of sale, and the tag and title fees are listed as "N/A" on the bill of sale, a dealer can't come back later and demand those fees.

Granted, Howard didn't do her due diligence. I knew the mileage and that the car had been in a crash because I ran a CarFax report on it. She should have done that, too, and had a mechanic check the car before she bought it.

Most of all, Howard should have walked away when her private-party seller took her to the dealership on Fowler. That was an indication things weren't on the up-and-up.

Under an unlisted number Fort Myers Motors uses, I found 16 CraigsList ads for "cars and trucks by owner." The photos showed the cars parked in driveways, parking lots and on the street. This would lead people to believe, as Howard did, the sale is being made by a private owner and not a dealership.

Fort Myers Motors needs to stop its misleading advertising. The owners should give Howard her title or give her money back. And the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles needs to put the screws to these yahoos and make them clean up their act or shut them down.

Craigslist buyers beware: For sale by owner, sold by dealer (2024)

FAQs

How do you know if a buyer is scamming you on Craigslist? ›

Similarly, buyers who ask for personal or financial information or offer to pay more than the asking price for an item are often scams. If something seems suspicious, it's best to walk away and look for a different opportunity.

How do I sell on Craigslist without getting scammed? ›

Avoid adding any personal information in the posting, including your name, real phone number or real email address. Always use the generated email address on your Craigslist posts. This creates a random email address, so the poster doesn't have your real email on file.

How do I protect myself when selling on Craigslist? ›

Don't share personal details. Never disclose your personal or financial information to strangers online. There is no need for your Craigslist contact to know your bank account number, home address, or date of birth. You might share your cell phone number with someone you are meeting in person, but not more.

How do I verify a seller on Craigslist? ›

Count the money in the public location that you've chosen to meet to verify that the money is all there. This is the only way to verify that your transaction is legitimate, and an honest seller will have no problem allowing you to take the necessary precautions to ensure you're getting what you are paying for.

How do I respond to a buyer anonymously on Craigslist? ›

Unfortunately, no such protection exists for those replying to posts. When you reply directly from Craigslist, your email address will be visible to the recipient. To reply anonymously, you need to create a free Web-based email address, which does not contain identifiable information.

Should I give someone on Craigslist my phone number? ›

Craigslist email relay hides your email address when communicating with buyers or sellers. It's a great security feature that you should take advantage of. That means you shouldn't give your real email address or phone number to someone you're dealing with, especially if they're pressuring you.

How do I sell without getting scammed? ›

Sticking to cash transactions and in-person hand offs can eliminate some payment scam risk, but you should still take certain precautions. If possible, choose a public meeting place — even in front of a police station — and ask a family member or friend to accompany you.

What is the best payment method to not get scammed? ›

Secure online payment methods
  • Credit cards. By and large, credit cards are easily the most secure and safe payment method to use when you shop online. ...
  • ACH payments. ...
  • Stored payment credentials. ...
  • Credit cards with EMV chip technology. ...
  • Credit cards with contactless payment. ...
  • Payment apps.
Feb 11, 2023

How to make sure a seller is legit? ›

There are some obvious red flags or things to watch out for. If there's not a lot of reviews try to check the account or seller out. If there is reviews, check out the reviews and see what people have said. Check the item out and do your research to see if it is “legit” or “genuine”.

Do people still use Craigslist in 2024? ›

It remains the leading classified service in any medium. In terms of job postings, there are 2 million listings per month, making it a great option for many job seekers.

Does anybody use Craigslist anymore? ›

Do People Still Use Craigslist? Absolutely. You can search your local area on Craigslist and find used furniture, cars, rentals, and even jobs.

What to do if someone is impersonating you on Craigslist? ›

Contact Craigslist.

Craigslist has a message form you can fill out to directly report a fraudulent listing to the company.

Is Venmo safe for Craigslist? ›

How the scam works: A scammer negotiates a purchase with you on an online marketplace like Craigslist, then says they've paid or Venmo is holding the payment until you upload the shipping information. They usually send a spoofed email with a faked screenshot so it looks like they've made the payment.

Is CashApp safe for Craigslist? ›

Cash App scammers often contact people selling items on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or similar platforms. They'll ask for payment via Cash App and then send fake emails and screenshots saying the money has been transferred.

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