The capital of Idaho is about as far away from Hurricane Harvey as it could get, yet local used-car buyers could still be at risk of unknowingly purchasing a flood-damaged cars. How is this possible?
There are two main ways shady sellers can commit title fraud: avoiding a flood-damage title, or title-washing. In the first, the owner of a car finds ways around getting a salvage title put on their vehicle, like not reporting the damage. In the second, a car is issued a salvage or flood title, but the seller sends it to different states and exploits loopholes in each state's regulations to re-issue a clean title.
If you're underhanded and trying to make a profit off of damaged goods, it makes sense to sell them somewhere people aren't looking. Texans are sure to be on guard for flood damage when purchasing a used car, but Boiseans might not be. It didn't flood here.
That's why it's always best to buy your pre-owned vehicles through a reputable dealership like Larry H. Miller Honda Boise, where we give you the CarFax Vehicle History Reports on all our used inventory.
