Buying a car through a dealership website can feel wonderfully efficient. You find the vehicle, review the price, arrange financing and maybe even start the paperwork without leaving the couch. The problem is that a convincing website does not necessarily mean a real dealership stands behind it.
The Federal Trade Commission warned in September that scammers are creating fake dealership websites that imitate legitimate dealers, including their logos, vehicle listings, photos and even customer testimonials. Some scams target buyers with rare or hard-to-find vehicles, then demand money upfront for a car that does not exist.
