A car dealership is a nesting ground for ID thieves because non-public personal data is everywhere. Before you step foot in the dealership, do some research and find you a go do online lender that can assist you with your car loan needs. There are many websites out there that can assist you in things ranging from negotiation tips, helping you determine what your trade may be worth at time of trade in, and even applying for and getting a car loan.

Make sure when doing research that you identify a lender and not just a site that captures your personal information and sends it straight to a dealer. Just because you can complete a credit application on the site doesn’t mean they are an actual lender. Look for the words “lender” or “lending” in their name. This is not a sure sign but something easy to pick up on. Some online sites can provide all of the assistance you need. Some lenders can even help you with finding a “friendly” dealer that has a proven track record of treating their customers fairly. Be sure to ask whatever lender you settle on if they can assist in this area as well. Here are some of the benefits to getting your next auto loan online:

• By applying and getting your car loan online and up front before going to the dealership eliminates the needs to provide any personal information to the dealership (date of birth, social security number, etc). The items do not remain secure in a dealership and are very easy for the experienced ID thief to get what they need and fast.
• Apply and getting a car loan online gives you tremendous negotiation power with the dealer. When you walk in with your financing in hand, the dealer treats you like a cash buyer. Cash buyers always have the upper hand when negotiating large ticket items.
• When you choose to go online and get your next car loan, you don’t have to spend unwanted time at the dealership. Buying a car the traditional way is an all day affair in some cases. When you take care of the financing upfront, you cut your dealership time down drastically.

To help protect yourself against identity theft, here are some tips you may want to implement if you are not already doing so. Safeguard your financial items: Shred all your bank statements, credit card statements and mortgage statements; anything with your name, address and/or account number. No matter how good your spy ware or anti-virus software is, there are very smart computer hackers that can record your keystrokes and figure out what you inputted for your account number and password, so be sure to change them often.

You also want to make sure when conducting financial transactions online to check to ensure the website is safe and that the site is using the latest encryption technology like OpenRoad Lending. There you can apply for a car loan and feel confident that the information you provide will be safe.

ID Theft at Dealerships