Oregon DMV warns of fraudulent vehicle, dealership scams

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The Oregon Department of Motor Vehicle Services is warning Oregonians about new scams involving fake vehicle manufacturer documents and fraudulent dealerships.

In their warning, issued Monday, the Oregon DMV said scammers are using fake Manufacturer Certificates of Origin to obtain titles for stolen vehicles.

MCOs certify the original ownership of a vehicle and are issued by the vehicle manufacturer when a vehicle is produced and contains information such as the make, model, year, and vehicle identification number. But in some cases, scammers are creating fake VINs and adding them to counterfeit MCOs by altering information on a printed certificate or creating a fake version downloaded online, officials said.

Fake certificates often list the manufacturer’s name with an out-of-state dealer or distributor as the initial buyer, according to the Oregon DMV.

To determine if a VIN is legitimate, the DMV recommends running the VIN through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall website, which can show if the VIN on the certificate is one issued by a manufacturer. If a VIN is not found, an error message will appear, meaning the number was not issued by that manufacturer.

Vehicle history can also be searched through the National Motor Vehicle Title Information System, a consumer protection database that provides title information.

The Oregom DMV recommends contacting the dealer that originally purchased the vehicle from the manufacturer to determine if the vehicle transaction, certificate, and VIN are genuine.

“If the dealer or distributor cannot confirm they purchased the vehicle from the manufacturer, the certificate is probably fake,” the Oregon DMV warned.

For consumers who buy a vehicle from someone other than a certified dealer, officials recommend taking a photo of the seller’s identification and getting their contact information. If the seller has other vehicles, the DMV suggests taking photos of the other license plates.

Additionally, the Oregon DMV is warning of fraudulent dealerships being set up, noting the DMV offers an online tool to verify if the business is a certified dealer.