FTC Warns of Fake Car Dealer Websites: How Texas Buyers Can Verify Before Paying

The short answer

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) warned on Sept. 1, 2026 that scammers are cloning real car dealership websites, sometimes with AI, to get buyers to pay upfront for cars that don't exist. Before you send any money to a dealer you found online, verify the dealership independently, ask to see the car in person or through a mobile inspection, and walk away from anyone who insists on upfront payment by wire transfer only.

I'm Steven Wilson, Sales and Social Media & Marketing Manager at Kramer Autoplex in Livingston, TX. A lot of my customers shop online first, which is smart. This scam is also why you should verify who you're dealing with before money changes hands.

How the cloned-dealer scam works

In its consumer alert Scammers are spoofing car dealership websites, the FTC describes the pattern:

• Scammers copy a real dealer's website, including brand logos, vehicle listings, and photos. Some add fake customer testimonials.
• They may advertise rare muscle cars or hard-to-find classics to draw people in.
• They explain the buying process in detail and offer flexible return policies so you feel safe.
• The goal is to get you to pay upfront for a car you'll never get. Victims find out when they show up and the real dealer has no record of the order or payment.

The FTC's checklist before you pay

The FTC recommends:

1. Search the dealer's name with words like "scam," "review," or "complaint." Negative results are a red flag.

2. Don't rely on reviews alone. If scammers are impersonating a real dealership, the reviews you find may be glowing ones about the real business.

3. Ask to see the car and the dealership in person. If they won't allow it, slow down.

4. If the car is too far away, ask to hire a mobile inspection service. If they refuse, consider buying elsewhere.

5. Walk away if they insist on an upfront payment by wire transfer only, and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Extra checks that take five minutes

These aren't from the FTC alert, just common-sense habits:

• Type the dealership's web address yourself or find it through a search you started, instead of clicking a link from a text, social ad, or email.
• Call the dealership at a number you found independently and confirm the salesperson's name, the vehicle, and the stock or VIN before paying anything.
• Run the VIN. Our guide to TxDMV Title Check shows how to check title history through NMVTIS.
• Get the numbers in writing. The FTC’s Buying a Used Car From a Dealer guidance suggests asking for out-the-door prices in writing, partly to confirm the vehicle is actually on the lot.

Buying remotely can still be safe

Remote buying isn't the problem. Unverifiable remote buying is. A real dealership should be willing to confirm who they are, let the car be seen or independently inspected, and take payment through normal, traceable channels with signed paperwork.

How I work with online shoppers

I help people in Houston and East Texas get financed with good credit, bad credit, thin credit, or no credit. I shop each application across a wide lender network, including lenders that work with damaged or limited credit. I won't make up lender names, approval counts, or approval rates.

Here's how it works on this site:

• The first step is just your name plus phone or email. It takes about 20 seconds, and there's no credit check yet. The full application, which does involve a credit check, comes later.
• A same-day answer on where you stand (what you qualify for and the monthly payment) is typical, but it's not a guarantee of approval.
• Free delivery anywhere in Texas, and nationwide delivery outside Texas. You don't have to come to Houston for the answer.
• Live inventory is listed on the site. I won't quote stock or prices in a blog post.

You're welcome to verify Kramer Autoplex on your own before you share anything. That's exactly the habit the FTC is encouraging.

Bottom line

A perfect-looking website doesn't prove anything anymore. Verify the dealer independently, insist on seeing or inspecting the car, and never wire money just because a site looks legit.

When you're ready to see what you qualify for, start here: https://stevensellscars.com/start