More shoppers are falling for bogus online car listings and fraudulent auto sale websites, according to a new Better Business Bureau report.

The BBB said it saw a 25 percent increase in reports last year involving virtual vehicle vendor scams, where criminals pose as private sellers or dealerships, use stolen pictures, fake addresses, and elaborate stories to explain below-market prices. Buyers above the age of 45 accounted for more than 75 percent of the reports filed with the BBB Scam Tracker, the organization said.

“The numbers unfortunately are increasing,” said BBB spokesperson Paula Fleming. “We want to arm people with the knowledge this is happening.”

The BBB found a new trend also emerged involving fake vehicle history websites. Reports of bogus vehicle history search engines spiked by nearly 30 percent in 2023, the BBB said, noting the sites are created specifically to dupe consumers out of money or personal information. A Lynn woman told the BBB she was fooled by one of these fraudulent websites and lost money in Nov. 2023.

“Often times it’s bogus websites or [sellers] trying to sell vehicles that don’t exist,” Fleming said. “In some cases, they’re actually stealing photos from legitimate car dealerships and then posting them on their fake website.”

The BBB warns car buyers to

• Watch out for car prices significantly below market value

• Be wary if a seller won’t let you see the car or insists on a vehicle deliver fee

• Avoid any seller who says the money must be sent via third-party payment services

Jamaica Plain resident Dominic Burdick said he bought a used car for his son last year off Craigslist. Burdick said he was extremely careful when he contacted the seller and did everything he could to make sure the deal was legitimate.

“If I can’t call and speak to a person, I’m not sending money over the internet just to see it disappear. No, I need to know I’m dealing with an individual,” Burdick said.

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