Title Fraud is Illegal: Look Before You Leap

Are you planning to buy a vehicle?  If so, here’s something you need to know.

Every year unsuspecting buyers lose their hard earned cash and the car they intended to purchase due to title fraud.

Your tax office is doing more than ‘just collecting’ tax dollars, we also look for instances of title fraud and report it the authorities when found. The Motor Vehicle Department of the Tax Commissioner’s office processes vehicle titles and completes the tag registration process for vehicles. During this process several security checks are undertaken to attempt to uncover title fraud.

Tax offices and the Department of Revenue are vigilant about safeguarding you against those who would edit, alter, and misrepresent the status of a vehicle and its title. Each year we catch and prosecute dozens of would-be fraudsters attempting to pass off fraudulent titles.

Title fraud is illegal. Here are some tips on how to avoid being a victim of title fraud in our community and around Georgia.

  • Is the listed name on the title (proof of ownership) the same as the person offering the vehicle for sale?
  • Always verify make, model, VIN#, color, mileage, and look for sign of changes in either of these.
  • If the seller doesn’t have time to accompany you to your local tag office to process the title and tag registration, they avoid in person meetings. You may want to re-consider?
  • If the seller’s title looks older than the vehicle it represents, remember: vehicles and their titles age together.
  • Is it a salvage or re-built vehicle title?
  • If the seller has never registered in the home state of any other state or the mileage appears to be low for a vehicle of its age and condition, does that give some concern?
  • When you look at the title, does it have any handwritten or typed corrections or changes in the information on the title?

Before signing, remember the adage: If it’s too good to be true, it probably isn’t. This applies especially to newer cars that are offered at low, bargain prices.

Take time to prevent title fraud!

Thank You,

Your DeKalb County Tax Commissioner

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