VIN Check for Used Cars (Accidents, Theft, Recalls)
Enter the car's VIN to uncover any scams. Our auto scam detector does due diligence on the car and highlights potential red flags.
For example: `1G1YZ23J9P5800003`
What We Check For
- VIN decode (make, model, year)
- Trim and specs
- Salvage, Accident, or flood
- Car Market value
- Sales history
- Vehicle recalls
- Vehicle Warranty
- Maintenance schedules
- Suspicious listings or pricing
- Fuel economy, mileage
- Reverse image search
- Stolen vehicle reports
How It Works
Enter VIN
Paste the VIN of your vehicle
Click “Start Scan”
We Extract vehicle and seller details and start scanning for problems.
Process CarTruth queries recall, theft and title databases.
Deep Research evaluates pricing and repeated listings.
Review Used Car Report
You receive a security report with any red flags and recommendations before you buy.
About Car VIN Check
Excitement over finding that perfect used vehicle can quickly turn into a nightmare if you're not careful. Used car scams out of classified sites and social media are more sophisticated than ever. Our Used Car Truth Check uses the vehicle's VIN to avoid a bad deal.
Vehicle Listing Warning Signs
- Price is Way Too Low: A car listed for thousands below market value is a classic lure.
- Generic Photos & Story: Scammers post generic images and generic descriptions. They usually have a sad tale of deployment or moving and want to sell quickly.
- Refusal to Meet: The largest red flag is a seller that refuses to meet for an in-person inspection or test drive, usually saying that the vehicle is already with a "shipping company."
Most Common Auto Scams
- Odometer Rollback: Illicit mileage rollback to increase the vehicle's purchase price. Due to odometer fraud, consumers lose over $1 billion annually.
- Title Washing: Thieves conceal a vehicle's history (such as flood damage or salvage title) by shifting it from state to state that don't enforce regulations. - Curbstoning: Illegal sellers posing as individuals to sell junk or unsafe vehicles.
How Our Tool Safeguards You
Input the VIN and we conduct a check for multiple red flags. We can't substitute for a complete vehicle history report or for a mechanic inspection, but we can provide a quick first glance. We'll provide a thorough report such as, "Warning: Price is 40% below average and seller refuses inspection. High risk of scam."
Make a better decision before you ever wire money.
Frequently Asked Questions
Quickest checks prior to examining a used car?
Check VIN, price against market, request for cold-start footage, and examine title in possession.
How can I detect an odometer rollback?
Misalignment of mileage, wear, and service histories; edits or holes to the history are suspicious.
Selling party will not allow for a pre-purchase inspection. Dealbreaker?
Usually yes. Good-faith sellers will accommodate inspections and test rides
Do salvage/rebuilt titles react poorly to coverage searches by auto insurers?
Yes. Salvage/rebuilt titles typically react poorly during auto insurer coverage searches. Proceed only with full disclosure.
Are remote "ship it to you" offers secure?
Extremely high risk. Many fake escrow scams begin this way. check in person whenever possible.