Kelley Blue Book warns consumers of fake car-buying website scams

Kelley Blue Book is the leading provider of new and used car information in the market and has been a very trusted source of information for years. They are now warning online car buyers of a scam that is using a fake Kelley Blue Book website to prey on auto-buying victims.

Many get taken by these scams and so it is important to know what you are reading and what websites are real versus fake. Kelly Blue Book is trying to help educate the average consumer so that they do not fall victim to thieves. According to a press release, “The FBI claims that every 90 minutes a complaint is filed and an auto shopper loses $1,000 every hour due to fraudulent websites and phony vehicle listings.”

The scams that are going on online look to solicit funds from buyers via an escrow-based, guaranteed buyer-protection program. It is important to know that the true Kelley Blue Book does not offer such a program. Kelley Blue Book has been made very aware of this scam that is going on by receiving an increasing number of questions over the last few months about this protection program that consumers believe they are providing.

The bottom line is that Kelley Blue Book is warning anyone that runs into any escrow-based consumer-to-consumer service or Buyer & Seller Protection Program under the Kelley Blue Book name is a scam. Kelley Blue Book wants consumers to be cognizant of the true website URL for KBB, so they are not fooled by fake websites that look extremely similar to the real site.

Kelley Blue Book also warns to stay aware of the KBB email address (view the actual address, not the display name) provided by the seller to make sure they are not trying to pull a scam. If you feel you are being scammed online, KBB strongly urges car shoppers to report the seller to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

According to a press release, Shayne Brown, associate general counsel of Kelley Blue Book made this statement: “Recently, criminals have added sophisticated technology to their scam by adding 800 numbers and offering live chat with potential buyers in an effort to ease their concerns about online car buying and detailed information on the fraudulent buyer protection programs. Kelley Blue Book is working diligently to have these sites removed from the Internet, but in the meantime, car shoppers should know that any type of online consumer escrow service backed by our company is a scam."