If you decide to buy a vehicle privately, make sure you understand the difference between a private seller and an unlicensed seller, which is commonly referred to as a curber.
Purchasing a used vehicle from a curber can cause serious issues, should anything go wrong after the sale is complete.
What is a curber?
- Curbers are unlicensed vehicle sellers.
- They frequently pose as private sellers to hide the fact they are running a profit-driven business.
- Curbers often sell vehicles with undisclosed mechanical defects, tampered odometers or hidden structural damage.
How do you spot a curber?
Curbers often use high-pressure sales tactics to discourage potential buyers from taking their time and asking the right questions. To create a sense of urgency, they may use emotional appeals, such as claiming they need immediate funds for a family emergency. Additionally, curbers may claim to be selling the car on behalf of a friend or relative as an excuse for why their name is missing from the vehicle registration.
As a purchaser, you are in control of the transaction. You should always ask for the seller to show their identification and previous registration so you can match the two. A curber will seldom have the vehicle registration in their name, and they will not be the actual previous owner.
While legitimate private sellers typically list only one vehicle at a time, curbers often have several active advertisements. A key red flag is finding the same contact number linked to multiple vehicle listings across marketplace websites. Check their name and/or business name on AMVIC Online to see if they are a registered salesperson selling from a licensed business. Remember, legitimate businesses will always be licensed with AMVIC.
What if you think you’re dealing with a curber?
Trust yourself: if the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. If you suspect you’re dealing with a curber, walk away from the vehicle sale and contact AMVIC by filing a complaint on AMVIC Online or contact Crime Stoppers. Visit amvic.org for more information on filing a consumer complaint.