Next Time Your Browsing for a Car, Check You're Viewing a Legitimate Dealership

Wednesday, October 7th, 2026 -- 11:00 AM

(Sara Gabler, Wisconsin Public Radio) The next time you browse for a car online, double check that you’re actually viewing a legitimate dealership.

According to Sara Gabler with Wisconsin Public Radio, nline scammers are now duplicating car dealership websites, and unsuspecting buyers can find themselves paying a hefty price tag for a car they’ll never drive.

Last year alone, Wisconsinites were cheated out of $1.2 million in these scams. Michelle Reinen and Michael Domke of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection spoke with WPR’s Lee Rayburn about how consumers can protect themselves against a new wave of online scams called “dealer cloning.”

On the surface, these fake sites can look identical to real ones. But scammers don’t stop there, Domke said, “They’re using the same promotions. They’re using that real business’s name, their signage, their address. Sometimes using, you know, AI to generate images that look like the dealership or cars.” Scammers even use social media ads to route would-be buyers to their bogus websites. 

The scams often seem to target vintage, sports or luxury vehicles over large franchise brands. And they hook potential buyers by posting prices that are well below the car’s fair market value, Domke said. The too-good-to-be-true prices should be the first red flag. Domke advises shoppers to look out for a few other signs the deal might not be legit.

• Longstanding businesses have a web history. Does the site or social media page look too new? Are there posts from months or years past?
• Legitimate businesses have a professional web presence. Does the site or social media page have errors in spelling, sometimes even of the dealership’s name?

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.