A user on TikTok has sparked discussion after showing how he claims some people get out of car loan payments.
In a clip with over 554,000 views, TikTok user Cheese (@thankucheese) describes how he claims some people use services like Facebook Marketplace to get rid of vehicles—and, in the process, end their loan payments.
“I finally figured out what these guys do, man,” he says in the video. “They literally will go and post a car for sale, something really cheap, $8,500. Then they’ll report the car stolen. And then you get in trouble for buying it like a dumba** when you shouldn’t have even gotten the car in the first place.”
The trick, he says, is that the car is being sold without a title. To prove his point, he shows a listing for a 2021 BMW X5 being sold for just $8,500. The description notes that it is being sold without a title while also saying that he requires a deposit—a move that the TikToker says is indicative of a different scheme.
“He’s trying to get the deposit and then he’s going to block you. [You’ll] never hear from him again,” the TikToker says. “These guys are smart.”
Seeing this, one naturally must wonder: no matter the legality, does this method actually work?
The outlook is not promising. First, having your car stolen does not mean that you no longer have to make payments on it. Per Zuto, once someone has reported their car stolen to the police, they must contact their insurer and financier to explain the situation. During this process, the person will “need to keep paying your finance installments while your claim is being settled by the insurance company.”
Second, the TikToker says in the video that one can get in trouble for owning a stolen car. This is true, though the situation is a little more complicated than the TikToker makes it seem.
To start, it is legal in many states to buy a car without a title. That said, it is often a bad idea given the fact that the car could be stolen—and if one purchases a stolen vehicle, they are at risk of a host of penalties.
However, in the situation the TikToker is describing, the car has not been stolen; the seller is fraudulently claiming that the car has been stolen to get out of car payments. Provided that the buyer has substantial documentation about the sale of the car, including the seller’s name and signature, it would be difficult for the seller to make an effective case that their car was stolen.
@thankucheese #greenscreen A smart way to get out of a car loan 😭 be smart #carloan #autoloan #finance #default #notitle #fyp #x5m #x5 #x5m50 #2021 #bmw #bmwm #fy #viral #trending #bmwmotorsport ♬ Suspense, horror, piano and music box – takaya
In the comments section, users shared their own methods for getting out of car payments.
“Don’t pay it for 3 months and they’ll come pick it up for free,” wrote a user.
“Nah just leave it unlocked and running on the bad side of town,” added another. “It will get stolen and just report it.”
“Just get full coverage and total it out,” claimed a third.
The Daily Dot reached out to Cheese via Instagram direct message.
