Buying anything from Facebook Marketplace can sometimes be a bit dicey, but this man has been through one of the biggest extremes possible. TikTok user James Reeds (@jamesreeds) has shared that he recently bought a BMW on Facebook Marketplace, only to declare that he was scammed.
The video has amassed over 938,000 views, easily going viral, as many of us love an intriguing Facebook Marketplace story. The tone of the video is set instantly by Reed, who said, “shoutout to the guy who just scammed me,” as he begins the video. This is when he begins to showcase the car he bought.
Everything seemed incredibly normal at first. The black BMW looks to be in great condition. The title of the car looked clean; there were no labels on it, and Reeds was very happy with his purchase. To be extra sure, he decided to run the car through BeSure.
BeSure is an AI app that can check the VIN of a vehicle for any past accidents, the title status, and any contracts with a dealership. The app can also offer a risk analysis. It was in this report that Reeds was shocked to learn that the BMW was actually salvaged.
What Did the App Say About the BMW?
@jamesreeds Never trust anyone on facebook market place run your vins with @BeSure #car #bmw #marketplace #carguy #carsoftiktok ♬ original sound – jamesreeds
“The title looked clean on it. There are no labels on it. No, none of that stuff. Then I do a BeSure car report, and it’s salvaged,” he said. Reed was massively upset, both at himself for buying the car and at the situation, having suddenly felt like the seller of the car had scammed him. “Never trust Marketplace,” his video caption stated.
A salvage title reveals that an insurance company declared that the car was a total loss. Other countries declare this in different ways, with the UK giving a car a write-off category such as Cat A or Cat B. With a salvage title in America, you can’t drive the vehicle on the road until it has been repaired and then re-registered. The car has to pass inspections to then get a ‘rebuilt’ title so it can go back on the road.
These rebuilt cars can be harder and more expensive to insure, so simply repairing the car isn’t always the best option. Reeds knew this, so he had to make a decision regarding this particular BMW. “This car is getting parted out now. So whatever,” he said at the end of his TikTok video. That effectively spelled the end for this BMW.
Could the TikTok User Have Been More Cautious?
While many had sympathy for Reeds, there were others who suggested he should have checked the VIN before actually buying the car. “Dude, why tf would you check after?” one TikTok commenter said in response. “Honestly, this one’s on you,” another said. It does seem like a basic mistake, but sometimes we simply believe what someone is saying when they are selling us something.
Some commenters suggested that, actually, Reeds should get the car fixed and retitle it as a rebuild. “It’s not that big of a deal. I only buy cars with salvage titles. Once they’re fixed, nobody really cares,” one viewer said. “I bought a salvaged BMW for 7K and drove it for 10 years,” said another. As we have explored, however, it isn’t always the easiest process to get a car a rebuilt title.