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A Bell Park single mother has been stranded after her secondhand car was repossessed because of a previous owner's debts – and because she failed to check the car’s vehicle identification number (VIN) herself. Checking a VIN reveals if any money is still owing on the car, for which the buyer may be liable.
Nicole Kirby wants to warn other car buyers to carry out their own VIN checks after she was shown a false one by a private seller in June. Ms Kirby said she saved for six months to buy the Holden Commodore for $3000 from a family who had advertised it on the Geelong Online Sales Facebook page.
"He showed me a title check on his phone, which said it was clear (of finance plans) and I thought it was all good. I did a roadworthy and transferred it into my name. Then three months later, the repossession guys are at my door," she said.
Ms Kirby was told by them an amount of $3000 was owing on the car, and lawyers and police have since told her she cannot fight the repossession. She can launch a civil case against the sellers but she does not know their address to serve the legal documents.
"It may not sound like much but to a single parent on a pension ... I worked hard to save that," the mother of two said. "The repossession guy was really nice and gave me until the end of the week but I'm still going to be stranded. Public transport near me doesn't go to where I need to go. I could taxi to the shops but it will add up."
Ms Kirby said she was concerned others could be stung by the scam, and on a much larger scale. "You can't take anyone's word no matter how trustworthy they seem," she said. "I haven't slept all week I've been so stressed. I've accepted the car's going but I would not want anyone to go through what I've been through."
To check a car’s title with a VIN, visit the revs.com.au website for information on the Personal Property Securities Register.
