Buying a stolen car is a crime. Even if you unknowingly purchase a stolen vehicle, you could still lose the car and your money. Avoid becoming the car thief's second victim by following these tips:

• Be suspicious of any deal that seems "too good to be true."

• When buying from a private individual, make sure the title and registration match the name and address of the person selling the car.

• Be cautious of a seller with no fixed address, place of employment, or phone number.

• Ask the seller for references about past financing and insurance on the vehicle. Verify the information with the bank, finance company or agent.

• Be sure the VIN plate on the automobile's dash is present, secure and has no loose rivets.

• Check to make sure the VIN plate has not been repainted and the numbers stamped in the plate appear to be original factory numbers.

• Check the VIN plate rivets to ensure they are original. All 1970 and newer autos produced in North America have stainless steel "rosette" rivets with six petals and a hole in the middle. They are difficult to scratch with a knife.

• Thieves may remove the VIN plate and replace it with one from a similar wrecked vehicle. If in doubt, about plate authenticity, check with a new car dealer who handles the same model or contact a law enforcement agency.

• The VIN on the dash must match the VIN on the registration, title and federal safety inspection sticker on the driver's door.

• If the VIN plate is scratched, bent or missing rivets, tampering may have occurred.

• Make sure the federal safety inspection sticker, located on the door or doorframe, is securely in place and none of the numbers appear to have been tampered with.

• Beware of a loose dashboard.

• An excessively loose ignition switch may indicate tampering. Check the switch for chisel or pull marks.

• Be wary of a fresh paint job on a newer vehicle. This may indicate an attempt to change the car's identity.

• Check the inspection and license plate stickers to be sure they are current and issued by the same state.

• If the seller provides you with only remade keys, not original manufacturer's keys for a newer model car, be suspicious.

• Titles and registrations can be counterfeited. Therefore, demand the title before paying, and make sure it matches the registration.

• Question the seller if the registration was recently issued to an older vehicle.

• Check the engine identification numbers with all the other numbers to ensure a match.