Watch out for fake ‘cash for clunkers’ Web sites
Posted
Jun 24 2009, 01:18 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
This post comes from partner site ConsumerAffairs.com.
It should come as no surprise that as soon as the U.S. Senate passed "cash for clunkers" -- legislation granting vouchers to people who trade in their gas-guzzlers for new, more fuel-efficient cars -- a host of scam operations would pop up trying to profit.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is warning consumers not to be deceived by official-looking sites that claim to offer information on how to trade in your car. Sites that ask for personal information or offer a preregistration opportunity should not be trusted, the agency said.
"There's only one official site for the government, and that's NHTSA's CARS.gov Web site," said NHTSA press officer Eric Bolton. "Folks should go there and not rely on ‘cash for clunkers' sites on the Internet as they are not official."
The program, called the Car Allowance Rebate System, is the latest iteration of a plan to stimulate the auto industry by convincing buyers to trade in gas hogs for new, eco-friendly models. The Congressional Budget Office has said the bill could jump-start sales of up to 150,000 new cars.
But cash for clunkers has been criticized by Republicans for costing too much, and by some Democrats and environmentalists for not doing enough to limit emissions or emphasize renewable fuels.
Related reading:
‘Cash for clunkers': The rules
Cash in on the ‘clunker bill'
Gas-saving devices mostly a scam
‘Gifting club' pyramid schemes flourish on the Web
