Image by Rob Poetsch via FlickrThe "guaranteed buyer-protection program" scam that is now using KBB's name and images is itself not new. Essentially, a scammer will list a fake car on a legitimate car-listing site; after making contact with potential buyers and setting up a backstory to justify the need for a quick sale and the inability to conduct the transaction in person -- usually a divorce or military deployment -- the "seller" will move the financial transaction part of the deal to a fraudulent third-party site that boasts guaranteed buyer protection from purportedly legitimate sites, such as KBB. Modern iterations of the scam even employ live chat and 800 numbers to put marks at ease. The buyer is then instructed to wire partial or full payment to a fraudulent third-party site masquerading as a legitimate one, at which point -- you guessed it -- the money, fake car and seller all disappear.
