The United States ranks fourth in the list of countries with the most cars per personso the variety that we find in this Nation in terms of vehicles is very large, there are for all tastes new or usedHowever, in the case of the latter, you must take into account that it is not a stolen car.
If you are about to buy a car in the United States and you want to know if it is stolen, you have come to the right place, in this article you will know everything you need to know about this topic so as not to buy a stolen vehicle, therefore stay and learn with us how to identify if a car is stolen in the United States, let’s get started!
How to know if a car is stolen in the United States?
In the United States there are some ways for you to know if a car is stolen or not, either because you plan to buy it or for another reason, so In this section I will show you a list on how to know if a car is stolen in the US.
Step #1.- Go to the National Insurance Crime Bureau✔
The National Insurance Crime Bureau NICB has a very efficient tool that allows you to check if your vehicle has been stolenIf so, the NICB recommends you report the seller to the authorities and not confront him; To enter you only have to have the VIN of the car.
Step #1.1.- Enter the NICB website
You can enter the website ⇨https://www.nicb.org/vincheck and then agree to the terms and conditions for verifying the vehicle’s VIN.
Step #1.2.- Fill out the NICB forms
Once the forms are completed, it will appear if the vehicle has reports of theft.
Step #2.- Request the “Motor Vehicle History Report”✔
Also known as the Report of the History of a Vehicle, to have access to it you must have the VIN of the car; with the history you will get information such as the property title, damages paid by claims or insurance, estimates of the value of the vehicle among others.
You can find the “Motor Vehicle History Report” through the following websites:
Website #1.- National Motor Vehicle Title Information System NMVTIS
To enter, you must go to the following web address: ⇨https://vehiclehistory.bja.ojp.gov/. Afterwards, you must choose a provider, enter the VIN of the vehicle and finally, pay the fee in order to access the vehicle history.
Website #2.- CarsForSale.com
Enter with ⇨https://www.carsforsale.com/ and click on the “Vehicle History Reports” option.
Website #3.- VinCheck.Info
You can enter through the link ⇨https://www.vehiclehistory.com/ and check the history against the vehicle’s VIN.
Website #4.- VehicleHistory.com
Before entering the page, you must have the VIN number at hand. Sign in via ⇨https://www.vehiclehistory.com/
other websites
Other pages showing the Complete “Motor Vehicle History Report” are: ⇨https://www.autocheck.com/vehiclehistory/?siteID=0 and ⇨https://www.carfax.com/vehicle-history-reports/
He passed #3.- Check with vehicle insurers✔
Insurance companies usually have a database with the cars that have been insured by them and that have been reported stolen; you can go to your insurer with the VIN number of the vehicle you want to check and they will give you this information.
You must bear in mind that each insurance has its own database and to make this query you must be a client of the insurerotherwise it will not be possible to know this information.
Step #4.- Have a review with a trusted mechanic✔
Take the vehicle for a review and ask your trusted mechanic to detect signs that indicate that the car has been stolensince they have the knowledge to identify if the VIN number has been tampered with or the odometer is altered, in addition to verifying that the car is in good condition.
What Should You Check Before Buying a Car?
Buying a second-hand car in the United States, as well as in other countries, is a task that requires research, since by not buying it at a dealership, you run the risk of it being a stolen car or having some kind of report, so in this section I will show you what you should check before buying a car.
#1.- Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)✔
The VIN Number is also known as the chassis number or frame number; is a unique alphanumeric code that identifies the vehicle, this code is granted by the manufacturer and you can Locate it on the nameplate on the inside of the front wall, in the door area, or on the floor near the entrance.
It is important that you check this number, since it contains all the characteristics of the vehicle such as the country of origin, manufacturer, characteristics, year and model; among others. When reviewing all this information, it must match the car you are buying and you can do it on websites such as:
#1.1.- National Insurance Crime Bureau👈
- When entering the VIN on this website you will find information such as:
- Report of loss or theft of the vehicle
- If the vehicle has been recovered
- Accident Total Loss Statement
#1.2.- Vehicle History👈
They will give you more precise information regarding the expiration of the manufacturer’s guarantees, sales historycurrent withdrawal information among others.
#1.3.- iSeeCars👈
In addition to the VIN number report find information about the best time to buyprojected depreciation, among others.
#2.- Vehicle service records✔
Vehicle service records is another very useful tool to check that a car is not stolen; it is a report that includes all the mechanical and electrical information of the vehicle; In addition to a detailed description of the brand, model, color of the car and others, enter this the VIN number.
You must compare the VIN of the vehicle you are buying (in the previous section we told you where to find it in the car) with the one that appears in the records, it also compares the rest of the relevant informationthe color must match, the model, among others.
The seller of the vehicle should have no problem reviewing this report, as it is a way of ensuring that the car is owned by them and that everything is in order; You must pay close attention when checking, because if any of the aforementioned characteristics (VIN, color, etc.) do not match, it is likely that the car is stolen.
Signs That Will Warn You If a Vehicle Is Stolen: Stay Alert
Before closing the deal to buy a car, you must maintain alert to all the signs that the seller can give you and that you can take as suspicion that the car is stolenin fact you will not have to verify the VIN to realize it, within these signs it is included:
#1.- Does not allow you to verify the VIN or access the vehicle for an inspection👈
If you ask for a technical inspection, or by some security agency, they will not allow it to be carried out, they will make an excuse.
#2.- Closing the deal in an unusual and rare place👈
A parking lot, lonely or little traveled places.
#3.- Pressure from the seller for you to buy👈
For you to buy the car and close the deal urgently.
#4.- It does not show the vehicle documentation👈
And if it does, it shows irregularities and inconsistencies.
#5.- Prevents you from doing anything else car inspection👈
Nor will it allow a mechanical inspection.
#6.- The seller does not have a purchase invoice👈
And I don’t want to give you one at the closing either.
#7.- Driver’s license or other identification of the seller does not match👈
With the person who appears as the owner of the car.
#8.- If you ask the seller for identification and he refuses to deliver it👈
Inventing a fantastic story, alert! It could be a stolen car
What Are the Most Stolen Vehicles in the United States?
The National Insurance Crime Bureau NICB publishes a list of the most stolen car makes and models in the United States, this information is important so that when buying a car you know which ones have more risk of being stolen than others, in this section we show you the 10 most stolen:
- Ford F-150 model year 2006; 38,938 robberies
- Honda Civic model year 2000; 33,320 robberies
- Chevrolet Silverado model year 2004; 32,523 robberies
- Honda Accord model year 1997; 30,745 robberies
- 2007 Toyota Camry model; 15,656 robberies
- Nissan Altima model year 2015; 13,355 robberies
- Toyota Corolla model year 2018; 12,137 robberies
- Ram 1500 model year 2001; 11,292 robberies
- GMC Sierra model year 2018; 11,164 robberies
- Honda CV-R model year 2001; 10,094 robberies
Conclusion What Should I Do Before Buying a Vehicle in the United States?
Since you know all the information about how to know if a car is stolen, we come to the conclusion that The VIN number is essential, so you must ask the seller for it and verify that it corresponds to the car you are buying through a mechanical inspection and verifying it online using the websites mentioned in previous sections.
Keeping an eye out for the seller’s warning signs, for example not wanting to provide you with the VIN is one of the strongest alarms that a vehicle is stolen; if you have the VIN you must verify it through ⇨https://www.nicb.org/vincheck
Finally, carry out these and all the checks that we indicate in this article, including things like stopping by your local DMV office and verifying the car’s title.
In this way we have reached the end of the article and we want to thank you for reading this far, we hope that all this information will be of great help to you when it comes to identifying if a car is stolen or not; before we say goodbye We want to invite you to continue enjoying all our content on the website in future publications. We are waiting for you!