Vehicle title search is a crucial step of the selling and buying process in the state of Georgia. According to 13WMAZ Georgia ranks as one of the top states for cases of fraud in the country making it that much more important for people to take every precaution when buying or selling a pre-owned vehicle in the state of Georgia.
Most popular types of vehicle misrepresentations and scams:
- Title Washing
Title washing is the highly illegal practice of altering a vehicle's title to remove negative branding, like salvage status. A title search helps identify such fraudulent activities. - Undisclosed Lien/s
A lien is a legal claim against the vehicle by a creditor or any other entity that is owed money for services provided on the vehicle. Buying a vehicle with undisclosed outstanding liens may pose considerable financial as well as legal burdens by making the buyer responsible for the outstanding debt. - Undisclosed Damage & Catastrophic Events
The vehicle might appear in good condition on the surface, but it could be hiding signs of a serious previous collision. Cars that have been extensively damaged are often declared total losses by insurance companies and may receive a salvage or rebuilt title. This means that, at one point, the vehicle was deemed unsafe for the road, but after repairs, it is now roadworthy again. However, it will carry a salvage title and its value will be reduced. The new owner will need to consider who repaired the vehicle and the quality of those repairs. The main concern is whether there are any lingering issues from the previous accident that could affect the car's future performance and reliability.
The information obtained through the process of a title search may not only verify the vehicles legal status. It can also reveal whether the vehicle has been involved in major accidents, which might not be disclosed by the seller.
