Cash for Crooks Buying Your Clunker

Many Americans are trading in their gas guzzlers for a fresh start as part of the government’s “Cash for Clunkers” initiative.  Your rush to trade-in your vehicle for $3500-$4500 may not be worth it if you don’t spend an extra moment to give your car a thorough once-over before leaving the dealership.

As a long-time buyer of “previously enjoyed” vehicles, I am amazed by what I have found left behind by the previous owner.  Besides the typical French fries, coins and Skittles hidden under the seats; I have found plenty of personal information.  Information that you probably don’t want the new owner to have in their possession.

Glove box – Your dealership was nice enough to put all of your loan origination paperwork, licensing & title information in the leatherette binder which holds the owner’s manual you never read; before you trade your car in, make sure you remove all of that paperwork.  It includes your name, address, social security number and income information.

Center console – I’ve found ATM receipts, credit cards and a checkbook.  Did I mention that I had the previous owner’s signature on file (see glove box)?  Most new cars have a removable tray to trick thieves into believing that nothing lies beneath the center console.  It’s also the perfect place for owners to place things only to forget them there forever.

Seat pockets – The backs of the driver’s and passenger’s seats have soft pockets that are sized perfectly for medical billing information.  My wife usually places our children’s immunization records and school information here as she straps the children into their car seats.

Trunk – You never used the spare tire but somehow that tire well was able to collect things anyway.  Aside from the $10 in loose change, there’s a good chance that missing (intentionally placed) house key is there for the new owner’s taking.  Don’t forget they have your address!

In conclusion, it’s a great time to take advantage of a government subsidized new car purchase.  Just make sure you spend an extra 15-30 minutes going over all of the nooks and crannies of your vehicle to make sure you aren’t handing over your life’s story to an identity thief.  And if you are wondering where the other sock went, you might start here too!