Is It Safe to Give the VIN Number on Facebook Marketplace?

While selling a car on Facebook, the most common question that comes to mind is, “Should I share my car’s VIN number?” Do you have the same question in your mind, and looking to understand if it is safe or not?

If you haven’t found the answer yet, you have landed on the right page. In this blog, we are going to show whether it is safe to VIN number on Facebook Marketplace publicly. By reading this guide, you will have a deep understanding of this topic. Let’s get started and read more!

What is a VIN Number?

Before you read about the safety of sharing the VIN number, you must be aware of what this number is. It is a 17-digit unique number that is given to every vehicle manufactured by the company.

The Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a specific number through which one can identify the vehicle. Authorities use this number to verify the model, type, and other details of the vehicle. Whenever you purchase a car or any other vehicle, you can find this number just beside the front of your vehicle.

This number was introduced in the late 1800s to ensure that every vehicle has a footprint as well as a source for being detected.

Is It Safe to Share the VIN Number Publicly?

The direct answer to this question is, it is safe to share the VIN number on FB marketplace. However, it becomes harmful in certain conditions, which makes it confused for sellers while sharing their information on the platform.

In turn, they don’t share these kinds of details and end up looking like a scammer or a low-trusted seller. For your better understanding, we have listed some harmful situations that you can face by sharing your VIN number publicly on Facebook Marketplace.

Harmful Impacts of Sharing VIN Number on FB Marketplace

So far, you have read whether it is safe to give the VIN number on Facebook Marketplace. It is time to read the harmful impacts that you can experience by sharing it publicly. Keep in mind that these negative situations will occur exceptionally, but you still need to be careful.

Unverified/Fake Listing

One of the most common negative situations you can face is an unverified/fake listing of your vehicle. Selling a vehicle isn’t like selling a used mattress, where one can easily copy the images from other listings.

When you have shared your VIN number publicly, anyone can copy that number and images to share as their own products. In turn, your vehicle will have multiple listings available on Facebook Marketplace with different pricing and locations.

It is right to say that your product will have multiple fake listings available for public access. In turn, your listing may either get removed or you will remain invisible to your target audience.

Makes Scamming Easy

Another negative situation that can occur while sharing the VIN number publicly is scamming. When you are sharing this number for everyone’s access, it will give a plus point to scammers. They can easily download and upload images of a vehicle from the internet with your VIN.

In turn, you will experience various issues even being the original author. For example, if multiple people have been scammed with your VIN number, Facebook will consider you a scammer too and ban you from Facebook Marketplace.

How to Share Your VIN Number on Facebook Marketplace Safely?

As you have learned that the VIN number is the unique identity of a vehicle, it is important to share this number to show your authority and build trust. The question that comes to mind is how you can do this without compromising your safety.

The safest way to share this number is by following a unique technique of sharing hidden information on Facebook Marketplace. You can share it by keeping the last few digits invisible for everyone.

In simple words, you can put “**” or hide the last 4-5 digits of this number. With this approach, you will have a chance of avoiding scams and getting unverified listings for your products. You can share the complete VIN number with people who jump into your inbox and ask for further details/verification.

Conclusion

By reading this guide, you must have learned whether it is safe to give the VIN number on Facebook Marketplace. We have briefly shared the answer to this question, as well as shared the negative aspects of sharing it.

Therefore, it is recommended to keep this guide in mind while selling your vehicle on Facebook Marketplace.