Warning: Facebook Marketplace car sale scam is back — they use fake titles from Oklahoma

Getting reports of a car sale scam hitting DFW Facebook Marketplace hard right now. Here's the pattern:

How it works:

1. Car listed at below-market price (usually $2,000-5,000 under KBB)
2. Seller is "motivated" — just moved, getting divorced, deploying, etc.
3. Car looks great in photos and even in person
4. Title appears clean but is actually a washed title from Oklahoma (flood/salvage history removed)
5. They insist on cash only, no financing
6. After purchase, you find the car has major hidden issues or can't register it in Texas

Red flags:

• Out-of-state title (especially Oklahoma, which has notoriously weak title laws)
• Won't let you take it to a mechanic
• Won't meet at a police station for the transaction
• Price seems too good to be true

Protect yourself:

• ALWAYS run a VIN check (Carfax or NMVTIS — $25 can save you thousands)
• Meet at a police station with cameras
• Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic
• Verify the title at your county tax office BEFORE paying

Source: BBB Dallas, Texas DMV title fraud alerts, multiple victim reports on DFW car buy/sell groups

I fell for this last year. Lost $8,000 on a flood car from Louisiana with a washed OK title. Don't be me.