{"id":13041,"date":"2017-09-23T22:00:56","date_gmt":"2017-09-24T03:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.paristn.net\/articles\/?p=13041"},"modified":"2017-09-23T20:16:21","modified_gmt":"2017-09-24T01:16:21","slug":"tennessee-motor-vehicle-commission-says-beware-flood-related-vehicle-scams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.paristn.net\/articles\/2017\/09\/23\/tennessee-motor-vehicle-commission-says-beware-flood-related-vehicle-scams\/","title":{"rendered":"Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission says Beware Flood-Related Vehicle Scams"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"TennesseeNashville, TN<\/strong> – Consumers who are shopping for a new vehicle should be aware that flood-damaged cars and trucks from states ravaged by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma will eventually surface in Tennessee.<\/p>\n

In an effort to raise awareness, the Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission, which is part of the Department of Commerce & Insurance\u2019s Regulatory Boards division, is warning consumers to be alert for scammers who might disguise severely water-damaged vehicles as being perfectly good.<\/p>\n

\"Consumers<\/a>

Consumers need to be on alert for scammers who might disguise severely water-damaged vehicles as being perfectly good.<\/p><\/div>\n

\u201cThe recent disasters in Texas and Florida are expected to leave over a million flood-damaged vehicles in their wake,\u201d said Motor Vehicle Commission Executive Director Paula Shaw. \u201cWe want to help Tennesseans avoid unknowingly purchasing a used car that may have received non-repairable damage. Driving a flooded car puts its owner and other drivers at risk of injury or death.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Motor Vehicle Anti-Theft Act of 1996 makes a clear distinction between a \u201cfresh water flood\u201d vehicle (which can be rebuilt) and a \u201csaltwater damaged\u201d vehicle (which cannot be rebuilt).<\/p>\n

Tennessee titling laws<\/a>, governed by the Tennessee Department of Revenue, distinguish between \u201cnon-repairable\u201d and \u201csalvage\u201d vehicles by the type and extent of the damage. The determination about the type and extent of damage is made by the insurance company.<\/p>\n

Many of the vehicles damaged as a result of hurricanes Harvey and Irma will be categorized as salt water damage due to the presence of \u201cbrackish water,\u201d a mixture of salt and fresh water that is generally the result of the backwash of saltwater into bayou areas.<\/p>\n

Saltwater damage continues to corrode and eat away at a vehicle\u2019s body and operating components, even after it is cleaned up and repaired. With the computer system of today\u2019s motor vehicles commonly located in the lower quadrant of the car, even low water levels of water damage can cause damage to a vehicle\u2019s electrical system.<\/p>\n

A vehicle that has been declared a total loss due to saltwater damage is deemed \u201cnonrepairable\u201d and may never be titled again in the state of Tennessee. Saltwater damage vehicles can only be dismantled and used for parts.<\/p>\n

Unscrupulous individuals looking to take advantage of the fact that no national standard or definition of various title brands exists and move water-damaged vehicles to states with different laws or definitions, giving them a \u201cclean title\u201d in that state. Typically, there is always an influx of water or saltwater damaged vehicles on parking lots and social media sites following an occurrence such as a hurricane or flood.<\/p>\n

Scammers typically attempt to sell flooded vehicles quickly after a disaster, hoping to stay ahead of computer system updates so that title check systems don\u2019t have time to detect the car\u2019s history. By the time a consumer discovers the vehicle\u2019s history, the seller will be long gone.<\/p>\n

To help consumers avoid these flood-related car scams, the Tennessee Motor Vehicle Commission provides the following guidelines:<\/strong><\/p>\n