# Are stolen cars common on CraigsList?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stolen-cars-common-on-craigslist/444405
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [April 8, 2008, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stolen-cars-common-on-craigslist/444405 "2008-04-08T00:50:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Shai\_tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shai_tan)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2008, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stolen-cars-common-on-craigslist/444405/1 "2008-04-08T00:50:42Z")
I’m looking for a used car, and have run across some cars that are “too good to be true”. Newer models, described as excellent condition, no mechanical/cosmetic issues, low miles, yada yada. But the cars are SERIOUSLY underpriced. For instance:
[Cheap car](http://kansascity.craigslist.org/car/632434271.html)
This car has a Kelly Blue Book value of $14,000 and is being sold for $3,500. This can’t be an honest deal. I see a few similiar ads. Is there a way to gain assurance that I am not buying a stolen vehicle?
---
### Author:  [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2008, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stolen-cars-common-on-craigslist/444405/2 "2008-04-08T00:57:18Z")
Check back in an hour and the ad will be gone. THose are email address harvesters. THer’s a guide somewhere on spoptting them but once you know their template you can spot them easily.
Always 4 pictures, vague location, lots of cut and pasted info on the car.
---
### Author:  [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2008, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stolen-cars-common-on-craigslist/444405/3 "2008-04-08T01:00:28Z")
I did a Google search for that email address and found the same listing on Craigslist in Delaware, while your listing was for Kansas City. That’s suspicious by itself.
---
### Author:  [@aptronym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aptronym)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2008, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stolen-cars-common-on-craigslist/444405/4 "2008-04-08T01:04:09Z")
People might also be downright lying about the condition of the car. A lot of legitimate used-car ads look too good to be true, too.
---
### Author:  [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2008, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stolen-cars-common-on-craigslist/444405/5 "2008-04-08T01:14:01Z")
[QUOTE=Dewey Finn]
I did a Google search for that email address and found the same listing on Craigslist in Delaware, while your listing was for Kansas City. That’s suspicious by itself.
[/QUOTE]
And if you remove Google’s duplicate kill you’ll see this ad featured in sixteen different Craigslist locations. I’d guess that **MikeG** is right on this one.
---
### Author:  [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2008, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stolen-cars-common-on-craigslist/444405/6 "2008-04-08T01:34:57Z")
Those don’t look like houses in suburban Kansas City; they’re more like what you would see around the Great Lakes region.
---
### Author:  [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2008, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stolen-cars-common-on-craigslist/444405/7 "2008-04-08T01:48:59Z")
yeah I will see ads here in chicago with the cars in front of palm trees…I don’t think so.
The best way to find deals on Craigslist is to look for ads where they put in a neighborhood or some other very localized identifier.
---
### Author:  [@Shai\_tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shai_tan)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2008, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stolen-cars-common-on-craigslist/444405/8 "2008-04-08T01:52:29Z")
Well, that answers that. Sheisty scammers selling to spammers. How much lower can you get?
---
### Author:  [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2008, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stolen-cars-common-on-craigslist/444405/9 "2008-04-08T03:21:49Z")
Things like cars, which have an individual VIN that’s easily checked & traced, are much less likely to be sold via Craigslist than other stolen items. Like TV’s & other such electronic equipment – even though they generally have a serial number, it’s much harder to track that down and see if it has been stolen. But a car VIN – just call your local police department, give them the VIN, and in 60 seconds they can tell you if that vehicle has been reported stolen.
---
### Author:  [@Merhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merhouse)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2008, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stolen-cars-common-on-craigslist/444405/10 "2008-04-08T19:06:55Z")
As has already been said, well…
**This posting has been flagged for removal**
Hey, I had to check out the ad. I couldn’t help myself 😉
---
### Author:  [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)
#### Post date: [April 8, 2008, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stolen-cars-common-on-craigslist/444405/11 "2008-04-08T22:11:47Z")
Another common phenomenon is cars listed at a price the seller… won’t ACTUALLY sell the car for.
You sort by price, and see a car that’s a REALLY nice deal, then you call and $1600 turns into $16000… I’d believe it was a typo if the ad didn’t stay up 2 months and get reposted with the same price over and over again…
---
### Author:  [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2008, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-stolen-cars-common-on-craigslist/444405/12 "2008-04-10T00:24:24Z")
I sold a car on [cars.com](http://cars.com) a couple years ago. Another scam that’s going around: some “representative” of a buyer has a cashier’s check for $10,000 and if you just refund the difference, they’ll pick up the car etc. etc. Thing is, they’re forging cashier’s checks now and it’s successful enough to fool banks until, like a personal check, it bounces later.
So if they can forge a cashier’s check, I’d guess they can also forge a title. I’d be making sure the VIN is connected to the seller and you check for seller’s ID. I’d also feel better checking out the car at an address connected to same.