From the LMNM team
Buying and selling safely
LMNM introduces buyers and sellers. The sale itself is between you. Here is what we would do.
LMNM will never ask you for
- Payment by gift card, wire, payment app or crypto. LMNM doesn’t collect the price of a car at all, and never asks to be paid that way for anything.
- Your password, or a code sent to your phone. Nobody at LMNM needs either to help you.
- A deposit to “secure” a car. The only amount LMNM ever places on a card is the bidding hold, through your account, never by a message.
A message that claims to be from LMNM and asks for any of these isn’t from LMNM. Forward it to support@lowmilesnomiles.com.
If you are buying
- See the car
Photos and a write-up describe a car. They don't replace standing next to it. Go yourself, send a friend who knows the model, or hire an independent inspector near the seller. Do it before money moves.
- Check the title and the VIN
Ask to see the title. The name on it should be the person selling, and the VIN on it should match the VIN on the car (dash plate and door-jamb sticker). Run a history report on that VIN before you commit.
- Verify the seller before any money moves
Buying a car you haven't stood next to is normal here - plenty go across the country on a transporter. What makes it safe is knowing who you're paying: the name on the title matches the person you're dealing with, a dealer has premises you can call, and the seller will get on the phone. A seller who won't be verified is the warning, not the distance.
- Pay in a way you can trace
A deposit to hold a car is a normal part of a remote sale, once you've verified the seller. Pay by a method with a record and a name on the other end - a bank transfer to an account in the seller's name, a cashier's check verified with the issuing bank, or an escrow service you chose. Gift cards, payment apps and crypto may offer little or no buyer protection or recourse once the money has moved; a seller who will take nothing else is telling you something.
- A price that's too good is a warning
A collector-grade car well under market, a seller who is "overseas" or "deployed," or one who wants to move the conversation off LMNM right away: each is a reason to slow down.
- Keep the conversation on LMNM until the deal is done
Messages here stay next to the listing they are about, which is the record you'll want if something goes wrong. A chat moved to a texting app leaves none.
If you are selling
- Release the car only against confirmed payment
Hand over the car and the signed title - to the buyer or to their transporter - only once you have payment you can confirm. A cashier's check can be verified with the issuing bank before you release anything. A personal check isn't money until it clears.
- Refuse overpayment schemes
A buyer who sends more than the price and asks you to forward the difference to a shipper, a broker or back to them is running a scam. Real buyers pay the price and no more.
- Keep the title until you're paid
Don't send a photo of the signed title, or the title itself, ahead of payment. A photo of the unsigned title is enough for a serious buyer to check the VIN.
- Share only what the sale needs
A buyer needs to see the car and the title. They don't need your date of birth, a photo of your driver's license or your bank sign-in.
Report a suspicious listing or message
If a listing, a bid or a message looks wrong, email support@lowmilesnomiles.com with a link to it. A person reviews every listing before it appears, and a person can take one down.
About this page
General guidance from the LMNM team, not legal advice and not part of our terms. When in doubt, take your time and ask someone you trust.