Online Safety for Buyers

Buying a motorcycle online is convenient, exciting and cost-effective. It can also be scary, especially when you're buying a big-ticket item, like a motorcycle.

The good news is that it's easy to spot and avoid most online scams. Below are some red flags to look out for.

Asking price is too low

This is the most common way online scammers try to reel in unsuspecting shoppers. If you come across a motorcycle with an extremely low asking price, pause and do some research.

What you should do:

  1. Check the following sources to determine the bike's value:
  2. Call the seller to find out why the asking price is so low. If the seller is not available to speak with you via phone, assume the bike listing is fraudulent.
  3. Contact us to verify the bike listing.

Seller doesn't want to speak via telephone

It's very common for online scammers to pretend that they are on a trip, military base or various job assignments without access to a telephone. Some even claim that they have physical disabilities that prevent them from speaking on the phone. Such claims are red flags.

What you should do:

  1. Ask the seller for their phone number.
  2. Google the phone number to find out who owns it and where else it's been used online.
  3. Call the provided phone number and pay attention to the ring tone and connection quality. If it sounds as if the person is using some type of an app to facilitate the phone call, pause and contact us.
  4. If the seller answers, pay attention to how naturally they answer your questions and how much they know about the motorcycle. If the person doesn't know the answer to routine questions, assume that their bike listing is most likely fraudulent.

Motorcycle is listed on many different websites

Online scammers often post the same motorcycle for sale on several different websites, with different asking prices. The photos and the description are usually the same. The motorcycle may also have a different location listed on each website.

What you should do:

  1. Search the bike's year, make, model and location on Google.
  2. Use Google Image Search to find out if the bike's photos have been used anywhere else.
  3. If you find out that the bike is listed on many different websites, pause and contact us.

Motorcycle is rare, classic or vintage

Older and rare motorcycle listings are more likely to be fraudulent because such bikes are so desirable. Buyers who look for such bikes are eager to buy quickly, before someone else does. This makes such bikes ideal for online scams.

What you should do:

  1. Search the bike's year, make, model and location on Google.
  2. Use Google Image Search to find out if the bike's photos have been used anywhere else.
  3. If you find out that the bike is listed on many different websites, pause and contact us.

The Bottom Line

If a motorcycle listing is too good to be true, it most likely is. Don't get too attached or send money before you are certain that it's not fraudulent.

At the very least, protect your payment by using an escrow service.

What's Next?

Learn about different payment options.