10/15/2024
I just received this ALERT from Bexar County Tax Assessor
ALERT!
October 15, 2024
TAX ASSESSOR-COLLECTOR AGAIN ISSUES WARNING TO CONSUMERS: BEWARE OF FRAUDULENT AUTO TITLES AND STOLEN CARS!
San Antonio, Texas â The Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collectorâs Office is reporting a recent increase of buyers being tricked into purchasing vehicles on the internet with fraudulent titles or which have been stolen. In the last few weeks, we have had three buyers swindled out of $9,000, $5,000, and $14,000 cash, respectively. Earlier this year we had buyers cheated out of $10,000, $15,000, and $35,000 cash.
âI cannot tell you how much it breaks my heart to see a familyâs hard-earned money be stolen from them by such unscrupulous persons. We want the public to know that the Tax Assessor-Collectorâs Office is a safe zone for them when purchasing a vehicle. Any person-to-person transactions, especially with cash and/or people you donât know, should be done in our office with both the buyer and seller present. If the seller will not come with you to our office, do NOT buy the car until you have verified the title and vehicle information,â said Albert Uresti, Bexar County Tax Assessor-Collector.
The ever-rising cost of motor vehicles and the reported shortage of inventory have driven some buyers to use non-traditional methods of shopping for cars. Many people believe they can save money by buying a vehicle from an advertisement on social media rather than from an auto dealership. Recently and earlier this year, there have been several individuals come into our Tax Office to transfer the title into their name on a vehicle they bought on the internet, only to find out that the vehicle is stolen or the title they have been given is fraudulent, and in some cases, the seller used a fake identification as well.
âIâm asking our citizens to be careful and to be diligent when buying a vehicle from an individual you donât know, especially if you find it on an internet site. The seller may not have a real title to the vehicle, or it may even be stolen. If the car is stolen, law enforcement will seize the vehicle. Buyers should follow this simple rule of thumb: If the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is, so proceed with caution,â said Albert Uresti.
The Tax Assessor-Collectorâs Office offers guidelines on how to ensure private auto purchases are safe and legitimate. Primarily, the buyer can ask the seller to meet them at the local Tax Assessor-Collectorâs Office, or one of the 19 private Full-Service Title Companies in Bexar County, to transfer the title before a payment is made. This ensures that the title is valid and transferable. There is also a link on the TxDMV website https://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/buying-or-selling-a-vehicle/title-check-look-before-you-buy that allows a buyer to search for certain title information based on the vehicle identification number. Citizens can also call the Tax Assessor-Collectorâs Office at 210-335-2251 to verify certain information.
AU-TAC
https://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/buying-or-selling-a-vehicle/title-check-look-before-you-buy
How To Do a Title Check Get the VIN of the vehicle you want to buy. Click here to see how to find the VIN. Have your credit card available. Select one of the approved providers below. Prices begin at only a couple dollars so you may want to shop the vendors before making a selection. Be sure to note...
