The Expert Podcast

• Insights into common scams and fraudulent activities in the vehicle title industry.

• A man filed false vehicle titles and claimed a theft to make a fraudulent insurance claim.
• Arrested on charges of false reporting and title washing.

• Involves using a legitimate vehicle title record to clear a problematic vehicle title.
• Problems may include liens, salvage status, or the vehicle being stolen.
• Example: Altering a VIN number to make a vehicle appear legitimate.

• Common scams include:
  • Changing or scraping off a VIN from a junkyard car.
  • Applying the VIN to another vehicle to fake legitimacy.

• A scrapyard accepted over 80 fraudulent or stolen vehicle titles.
• Examples include:
  • 17 titles reported stolen by previous owners.
  • 16 titles forged without the company's signature.
  • 15 titles missing notary authentication.
  • 15 titles missing a "junk" designation.

• Vehicles sold by auctions like Copart or IAA often come with a "junk" or "parts only" designation.
• Title washing attempts to remove these designations to resell the vehicle.

• Forgery examples include:
  • 11 titles with mismatched signatures.
  • Bill of sales with fake or made-up VIN numbers.
• Importance of VIN integrity: All VINs are traceable in systems maintained by manufacturers or import authorities.

• A scam involving cutting a VIN from an old document and pasting it onto a new one.
• Authorities can easily detect such fraudulent modifications.

• DMV and law enforcement are experienced in detecting title fraud.
• Fraudulent schemes are often uncovered when documents are cross-referenced with records.

• Ensure all title applications are legitimate.
• Verify that anyone handling your title work is reputable and trustworthy.
• Avoid shortcuts or fraudulent methods that could result in revoked titles or legal trouble.