Commonly reported used-car scam patterns include fake listings using stolen photos, fraudulent or inconsistent paperwork, and cases where a vehicle turns out to have legal issues (including stolen-unit risk), which is why local car guides emphasize verifying documents carefully and matching vehicle identifiers against the paperwork before paying or finalizing any deal.

To reduce risk during ownership transfer, official requirements and processes (including LTO transfer requirements and PNP-HPG clearance for transfer-related cases) are key safeguards because they force document and identity checks as part of the transaction flow.