Am I being scammed?

[pjpony]

I was recently contacted about a car that I sold 20 years ago for $1000 cash. It was 20 years old back then with 200k+ miles. They were trying to get a title and I was the last registered owner. Story was the car had been bought and sold several times and no one bothered to register it and the title was lost.

They asked me to apply for a lost title and they'd buy the replaced title from me. I'd like to help a car guy out but how do I know this is legit?

[Barry Donovan]

you are the last legit written, then it is legit.

[tedly]

Get documentation from the previous owner and check with the DMV. That would be where I started.

[DanStokes]

I'd be VERY careful about this. In most states they can apply for a lost title. If, indeed, you are the last owner the state in question will contact you DIRECTLY and ask if you have any further interest in this vehicle. You'll get a form with the VIN. Sometimes your signature needs to be Notarized - depends on the state. You send the form back and it's done. It's sort of like a quit claim deed on real estate.

This sounds like an excellent fishing technique for the person contacting you to get too much personal info about you. Have them go thru the state and keep it all legal and you separated from the requester.

My $0.02 - and welcome to the loony bin!

Dan

[Bamfster]

I'd make sure and have the current and future owners present, inspect the car personally, and require that a state VIN inspection be done ..... ensures legitimacy.

[TheSilverBuick]

I'm with the two Dan's. I wouldn't do it unless I could see the car in person to verify the validity that it's the same car and/or the the state sends you the documents, which I would then take to the DMV to verify as being from the state. Otherwise it does sound like an information fishing trip for a scam.

[BBR]

I'd politely tell them that I sold the car 20 years ago and they need to go apply for a lost title.

[Gary 351C]

I'd let them apply for a lost title, easy enough to do. If you signed the back of the pink slip releasing you of all liabilty when you sold it then it's no longer your problem. It's either a scam or they're not very resourceful.

[Monk]

This happened to me years ago........guy shows up at my work.
He had all the required documents in hand and all I had to do was sign.

If this person got the title to car I'm assuming he could go lay claim to it?.....whether he
is owner or not?
What's the car worth today?

[ChevyII Wagon]

Has this individual proven that he or she has legal posession of the car?

[TC]

Tell the guy to apply for an abandoned Title, the dmv will send you a letter stating that the guy is applying for an abandoned title on that car and you are the last known owner, all you have to do is respond saying you don't want the car and the DMV will issue the guy a title in his name......

[Brian Lohnes]

Run like your hair is on fire.

Lots of great advice here, in my opinion.

[yellomalibu]

This is one of those times that lawyers are good (sorry SBG) ; the laws and "the process" of running it through the state protects you legally.

Sorry to the other guy for the inconvenience, but do it through official channels or not at all.

[SuperBuickGuy]

curiosity on my part..... car hasn't been registered for 20+ years. He hasn't received an abandoned notice, a notice of lien, or the police knocking on his door wondering why his car was used to blow up Times square....

So why not sign a release and let the guy get on with life? there's no personal information and simply the guy wants to register it.... I don't get the down-side of signing....

Anyone?

[Bob Holmes]

Edit: Tree'd by SBG... I had to hunt down a prior owner on a car. The DMV would not take the paper work until the prior owner had filled in the proper information and signed the document. The State was not going to help me one bit, let alone try to contact the last known title holder.

I'm sure each state's system is unique, so YMMV.