Things to Check Before Buying a Car From a Dealership Website After the FTC’s New Scam Warning

September 21, 2026

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.

Before sending a deposit or uploading financial information, give the website a little more scrutiny. Seven checks can expose problems that a polished homepage might hide.

1. Check Who Actually Owns the Website

Start with the dealership’s name, but do not stop at the website that appears in a search result. Search the dealer independently and compare the address, phone number and website domain with information from other reputable sources.

This matters because scammers can copy a legitimate dealer’s entire online presence. The FTC says impersonators may duplicate logos, photos, vehicle listings and testimonials closely enough to make the fake site look authentic. A familiar logo proves very little if the phone number or web address leads somewhere else.

Look closely at the domain name, too. A slightly different spelling can matter, particularly if the site asks for money or personal information. Call the dealership using a phone number you found independently and ask whether the specific vehicle appears in its inventory.

2. Verify That the Car Exists

A beautiful listing can create a false sense of certainty. The photographs look professional, the equipment list looks complete and the price sits right there on the screen. None of those details confirms that the vehicle sits on a dealer’s lot.

Ask the dealership to confirm the vehicle’s availability and provide its vehicle identification number, or VIN, before moving forward. The FTC also recommends asking to see the car and dealership in person when possible. If distance makes that impractical, the agency suggests asking whether a mobile inspection service can examine the vehicle.

A refusal deserves attention. A legitimate vehicle located far away can create logistical headaches, but a seller who will not allow an independent inspection creates a different problem.

3. Search the Dealer Outside Its Own Website

A dealership’s testimonials page tells only one side of the story. Run the dealer’s name through a separate search and add words such as “scam,” “complaint” or “review.”

This check has an especially useful wrinkle. A fake dealership site may contain glowing reviews because scammers can copy those, too. That means finding positive testimonials on the website does not independently verify the business.

Look for consistency across unrelated sources. Does the business appear at the same physical address? Do the phone numbers match? Does the dealership have a history that extends beyond the website offering the car? None of these checks guarantees a transaction will go smoothly, but together they make impersonation harder to hide.

4. Treat the Payment Request as Part of the Investigation

The payment method can reveal more than the sales pitch. The FTC specifically warns consumers to walk away if a supposed dealer insists on an upfront payment by wire transfer only.

That warning matters because a wire transfer can move money quickly, while recovering money from a scammer can prove difficult. A seller might describe the payment as a deposit, shipping charge or reservation fee, but the label does not change the underlying risk.

Before paying anything, ask exactly what the money covers, whether the payment is refundable, who receives it and what paperwork documents the transaction. A request that suddenly appears urgent should receive more scrutiny, not less.

5. Get the Price in Writing Before Money Changes Hands

A legitimate dealership website can still advertise a price that does not represent the final amount you will pay. The FTC advises consumers to ask dealers for the out-the-door price in writing and to confirm that the vehicle actually sits on the lot.

That written figure can help separate a suspicious website from an ordinary dealership sales process. Ask for the vehicle price plus the fees, taxes and other charges that apply to the transaction. If financing enters the picture, review the financing terms separately rather than judging the deal by the monthly payment alone.

The FTC has also warned about deceptive auto advertising involving low payments, discounts and other offers that can carry conditions or additional costs. A suspicious website creates one problem. A real dealer with a confusing offer creates another. Checking the actual numbers helps identify both.

6. Run the VIN Through NHTSA

Once the seller provides the VIN, use it for another independent check. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recall tool lets consumers search for unrepaired safety recalls tied to a specific vehicle.

This check will not prove that a website belongs to a legitimate dealer. It serves a different purpose. It gives the buyer information about the particular vehicle rather than relying solely on whatever information the seller chooses to provide.

The VIN can also help you make sure the vehicle being discussed matches the vehicle in the listing and paperwork. If the seller avoids providing a VIN for a used vehicle, ask why. A missing detail does not automatically prove fraud, but it gives the buyer one more reason to slow the transaction down.

7. Never Let the Website Replace the Dealership

The most convincing fake dealership website can create a strange illusion: the buyer feels as though a real business has already been verified simply because the site looks professional.

The FTC’s warning offers a better sequence. Verify the business independently, see the dealership and vehicle in person when possible, or arrange an independent inspection when distance prevents a visit. If the seller refuses reasonable verification, there is no prize for finishing the transaction anyway.

A website should make car shopping easier, not eliminate the basic checks that protect a major purchase. The slickest page deserves the same scrutiny as the roughest one.

A Real Car Should Survive a Little Skepticism

Online car buying does not automatically mean trouble. Plenty of legitimate dealerships use websites to display inventory, collect information and start transactions before customers arrive. The FTC’s warning simply highlights a newer problem: scammers can make a fake dealership look remarkably similar to a real one.

That makes verification part of the shopping process, not an annoying detour from it. Confirm the dealer, confirm the vehicle, confirm the VIN, confirm the price and examine the payment request before handing over money. If a seller makes those basic steps difficult, the car may not be the only thing that deserves a closer look.

Would a cloned dealership website make you more cautious about buying a car online, or would you still prefer to complete the transaction remotely?