NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The online purchase of vehicles comes with high risk because of unlicensed sellers, unethical practices and avoidance of governmental regulations.
The Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance (TDCI), the Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission, the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office and the Tennessee Department of Revenue are all alerting consumers to the risks that online car purchasing has created.
Many consumers have filed complaints of vehicles purchased online arriving with damage not disclosed in their advertisements. This illuminates the importance of inspection or prior driving before finalized sales.
Other buyers are having trouble obtaining a clear title or registering the vehicles they’ve purchased online. That’s because some dealers are offering cars before even acquiring their titles.
Another problem is “curbstoning,” which is the name for when a dealership pretends to be a private seller to avoid used car sales regulations, hoping to sell cars faster.
“As we head into graduation season and summer vacation, shoppers will likely want a new vehicle for students to take to college or for family vacations,” said Motor Vehicle Commission Executive Director Denise Lawrence.
“Unfortunately, we’ve discovered that some consumers are frustrated because they’ve given their hard-earned money to online salespeople who do not have either a valid Tennessee dealer’s or salesperson’s license. While it might be inconvenient to wait and buy…
