Georgia Attorney General: Buyers be wary of flood-damaged vehicles

ATLANTA — Attorney General Chris Carr is advising consumers who are buying used cars to be wary of vehicles that might have suffered flood damage as the result of Hurricane Ida. Flood-damaged vehicles are often sold at auction and then wind up on used car lots. Sometimes the vehicle’s title will indicate “salvage” or “totaled,” but sometimes the vehicle is retitled in another state and the damage on the vehicle’s title is not disclosed as required, a practice known as “title washing.”

“Consumers should always have a used vehicle inspected by a mechanic before buying,” Carr said in a news release. “This is even more critical now because an increased number of flood-damaged vehicles will be entering the marketplace.”