Car Sale 'Escrow Service'? Fake
The deal is perfect — great price, seller 'relocated,' and they propose a secure escrow service to protect you both. The escrow site is fake, built by the scammer, and your wired 'secure' payment goes straight to them. Real escrow protects deals; fake escrow is the deal's trap.
TL;DR / Quick Fix
Buyers or sellers pushing a 'secure escrow service' for a car deal are running a scam — the escrow site is fake and your money vanishes. Use an escrow company you choose yourself, or complete the deal in person at the bank. Never wire funds to a link they provide.
Follow these steps
- Never use their escrow link. The scammer's 'escrow service' is a website they built yesterday. Real escrow is chosen by you, independently — see the overpayment cousin.
- Complete the deal at a bank. In-person transactions at the buyer's or seller's bank — cashier's check verified on the spot, title signed over — defeat nearly every car scam.
- Verify the car's story. Run the VIN through official history services, check for liens, and confirm the seller's ID matches the title.
- Inspect before paying. Never buy a car you haven't seen and driven — or had an independent mechanic inspect. 'Shipped to you' sight-unseen deals are scam-shaped.
- Watch the relocated-seller story. Deployed military, moved abroad, divorce urgency — backstories explain why you can't meet. The explanation is the tell.
- Report fake escrow sites. Report to the FTC, the FBI's IC3, and the domain registrar. Fake escrow domains get taken down when reported.
What NOT to do
- Do not wire money to any escrow you didn't independently choose. Their link, their site, their rules — your loss.
- Do not accept overpayment with a refund request. The fake-check overpayment script rides along with car scams constantly.
- Do not skip the title check. No title in the seller's name, no deal — liens and title washing are separate traps.
- Do not let urgency override inspection. 'Another buyer comes tomorrow' is pressure, not information — real sellers wait for serious buyers.
Frequently asked questions
Is car escrow ever legitimate?
Yes — established escrow companies handle real vehicle transactions. The scam is specifically the counterparty choosing and linking the 'service.'
What does a fake escrow site look like?
Professional — that's the point. Check domain age, physical address, and independent reviews; new domains with no history are suspect.
The seller wants my deposit to 'hold' the car — safe?
Only in person with a written receipt, or through your own escrow. Wired holding deposits to strangers are gifts to scammers.