How To Sell an RV Without Getting Scammed

Selling your RV? Don’t get scammed by fraudulent buyers. We’ll list the most common tricks and traps, along with smart steps to take for a safe RV sale.

DealNow is a suite of transactional tools that lets you sell your RV safely and quickly. No matter where you list your RV for sale, finish the deal with DealNow.

Here’s how you can protect yourself from scams when selling an RV.

Verify the Buyer’s Identity

Scammers love to use aliases to avoid getting caught. We recommend verifying the identity of a potential buyer before the inspection meet-up.

Many online marketplaces have loose (or nonexistent) identity verification measures. Fortunately, DealNow verifies your buyer’s identity (and provides a whole lot of other protective measures).

After finding a potential buyer on a marketplace, invite them to your DealNow dealroom to enjoy identity verification. Also, you’ll be able to verify that they can afford your RV.

Verify The Buyer’s Funds

In addition to cloaking their identity, many scammers are broke. You want to verify that a potential buyer has the funds to afford your RV.

When paired with identity verification, funds verification weeds out most fraudsters. It also eliminates well-intentioned tire-kickers who can’t afford your RV and will waste your time.

When a potential buyer joins your DealNow dealroom, their funds will be verified and you’ll know you have a legitimate buyer who is ready to do the deal.

Use a Secure Payment Method

RV scams often involve shady forms of payment. Let’s break down your payment options so you can get paid safely for your RV:

Personal check: Avoid it since you have no way of knowing whether the buyer has funds to back it.
Cash: Risky for large transactions, slow to count and verify it’s not counterfeit.
Cashier’s check: Guaranteed, as long as you go with the buyer to the issuing bank and verify legitimacy.
Wire transfer: Secure, but you must give the buyer your bank account information, which you’d probably rather not do.
Escrow service: Secure, but time-consuming, inconvenient, and expensive. Oh, and make sure you don’t get scammed by a fake escrow company.

For the highest level of security, DealNow offers integrated payments that are secure, immediate, and have no limits on the amount you can receive.

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Use a Bill of Sale

A bill of sale offers an additional layer of protection against scams—but only if your buyer is verified and signs the document under their real identity. A bill of sale memorializes the terms of the deal and serves as a legal record in case a troublesome buyer ever wants to cause problems for you in the future.

Include the following in your bill of sale:

Complete details of the RV (make, model, year, VIN)
The agreed-upon price and payment method
Date of sale
Names and signatures of you and the buyer
Any warranties or guarantees (or statements that the RV is sold “as-is”)
Odometer reading
Any known issues with the RV

DealNow’s digital bill of sale automates this process, guaranteeing all necessary information is included and compliant with state-specific requirements. Your bill of sale is electronically saved and secure against theft, loss, or destruction, and you know your buyer is signing it under their legal identity.

Trust Your Instincts

Perhaps the most important tool in your anti-scam arsenal is your own intuition. If a deal feels off, even if you can’t pinpoint exactly why, it’s okay to walk away. There will always be other potential buyers.

If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
Don’t let pressure or urgency cloud your judgment.
It’s okay to take your time and think things through.
Take a close friend or family member with you to do the deal.
Use DealNow to close the deal.

DealNow is the solution both buyers and sellers have been waiting for.

Common RV Selling Scams

We’ve talked about the steps you can take to dodge scammers. Now, let’s look at the most common scams fraudsters are trying to perpetrate on RV sellers.

Payment Scams

Counterfeit cash: The buyer pays with fake bills. By the time you realize the money is counterfeit, the buyer and your RV are gone. Finish cash transactions at a bank to have all bills verified, or learn how to verify them yourself and take your time inspecting every bill.
Bounced personal check: The buyer writes a personal check for funds they don’t have. They might use social pressure or a sob story to convince you to finish the sale before the check clears, leaving you empty handed once the check bounces. Never accept personal checks from strangers. There are plenty of better ways to get paid.
Fake cashier’s checks: The buyer provides what appears to be a legitimate cashier’s check. You deposit it, and your bank initially credits your account. Days later, the fraudulent check is discovered, and the funds are removed from your account. Meanwhile, the scammer has disappeared with your RV. Always verify the cashier’s check at the buyer’s bank.
Stolen credit cards: A scammer uses a stolen credit card to pay for your RV. The payment initially clears, but later, it’s reversed when the legitimate cardholder disputes the charge. You’re left without the payment and without your RV. You’re better off avoiding credit cards because of the risk of fraud disputes and chargebacks.

Overpayment Scams

The buyer pays with a fake check for more than the price of the RV.
They have a plausible story for the overpayment—perhaps they “accidentally” wrote the check for too much, or they want you to forward the extra money to a shipping company.
They ask you to deposit the check and wire the excess funds back to them or to a third party.
You deposit the check, and your bank makes the funds available quickly.
You wire the overpayment amount as requested.
Later, the check bounces, and your bank removes the entire amount from your account.
You’ve now lost the money you wired, and your RV if you’ve already handed it over.

This scam works because many people don’t realize that banks deposit funds before they verify checks. Never cash a check written beyond the sale price, and always wait to finish the sale until the check clears.

Identity Theft

These scams use the RV sale as a pretext to steal your personal information:

The scammer poses as an interested buyer and asks for unnecessary personal details.
They might claim they need your social security number for a background check or your bank account details for a wire transfer.
Some sophisticated scammers might even create fake payment websites that look legitimate, asking you to enter your personal and financial information.
Once they have the right information, they can use it for identity theft, opening credit cards or loans in your name or draining your bank accounts.

Don’t give out unnecessary personal information. If you want to accept a wire transfer, conduct the transaction at the bank and give your info directly to the bank. Better yet, skip information trading altogether and finish the deal securely with DealNow. We route all communication through our secure in-app messaging feature, and the buyer never has access to your phone number, email address, or other information.

Escrow Service Fraud

This scam exploits your attempt to use a third-party service for security.

The buyer suggests using an escrow service to handle the transaction, which sounds safe to many sellers.
They provide a link to the escrow service’s website, which looks legitimate.
You create an account and provide your banking information to receive payment.
The buyer appears to initiate payment.
The escrow service shows that the funds have been received and tells you it’s safe to release the RV.
Once you’ve transferred the title and handed over the RV, you discover that no real payment was ever made, and the escrow service was fake.

If you’re interested in bringing escrow-like trust to the transaction, skip the expensive fees and lengthy transactions and enjoy a safe, instant RV transaction finished with a legally binding digital bill of sale.

The "Out-of-Town Buyer" Scam

This scam works because the seller never meets the buyer face-to-face, making it easier for the scammer to maintain their deception. This scam often targets sellers who are eager to make a quick sale:

The “buyer” contacts you, usually via email, expressing strong interest in your RV.
They claim to be out of town, or even out of the country, and therefore unable to see the RV in person.
Despite not seeing the RV, they agree to your asking price without negotiation.
They often have a story about why they need to complete the purchase quickly.
The scammer might send a fake payment confirmation email or use one of the fraudulent payment methods described earlier.
They then arrange for a “shipping company” (often an accomplice) to pick up the RV.
If you fall for it, you’ll lose your RV and receive no payment.

DealNow enables long-distance transactions that are fast and secure. Read how we empower an out-of-state buyer to legitimately buy your RV long-distance.

How To Spot Red Flags

When selling your RV privately, be alert for these warning signs of potential scams.

Suspicious Buyer Behavior

Reluctance to meet in person or view the RV.
Pushing for a quick sale without proper inspection.
Overly eager to pay without negotiation.
Creating false urgency.

Communication Red Flags

Refusal to communicate via phone or video call.
Generic or frequently changing email addresses.
Poor grammar inconsistent with the buyer’s background.
Generic responses that could apply to any RV listing.

Payment-Related Red Flags

Insistence of unconventional payment methods (gift cards, cryptocurrency).
Offers to overpay, especially if asking you to wire back the difference.
Pressure to use unfamiliar payment or escrow services.
Requests for your bank account details.

Unusual Requests

Asking for unnecessary personal information (SSN, ID copies).
Complicated transaction proposals involving multiple parties.
Requests to purchase and ship sight unseen.
Elaborate backstories explaining urgent need to sell.

Stay vigilant and trust your instincts. Legitimate buyers will respect your need to proceed cautiously with such a significant transaction.

DealNow: Your Best Defense Against RV Scams

Imagine a transaction platform that shields you from RV-selling scams without sacrificing convenience or speed. We created DealNow to be the ultimate transaction solution for high-value RV transactions.

Instant, secure payments of any amount. Works 24/7/365.
Bank-level security: Your funds are protected with advanced encryption and held in an FDIC-insured account.
Verified buyers: No more worrying about fake identities or fraudulent buyers. DealNow’s thorough verification process guarantees you’re dealing with real, serious buyers.
Escrow-like protection: Our digital bill of sale process provides escrow-like safeguards without the danger of fake escrow services. Both parties complete the process before the deal is final.
Secure communication: Our private dealroom feature lets you communicate with buyers safely, reducing the risk of phishing attempts or identity theft.
Instant payments: Get your money the instant the buyer sends it, no matter the time of day, no matter the amount.
Protection for remote sales: Selling to an out-of-town buyer? DealNow’s secure platform makes long-distance transactions as safe as local ones.

After you’ve used DealNow, you’ll never want to sell an RV any other way.

RV Scams FAQ

What is the best online site to sell a used RV?

Your best bet is to list on multiple platforms to reach the widest audience. Popular options include RV Trader, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and eBay Motors.

Whichever platforms you choose, use DealNow to close the sale. It ensures a safe transaction, whether you found your buyer on RV Trader, Craigslist, or through a friend. DealNow’s tools protect buyers and sellers, making it the smartest way to finalize any RV sale.

What is the best time of year to sell a used RV?

Spring and early summer are the best times to sell a used RV. As the weather warms up, more people start planning camping trips and road adventures. This increased interest leads to higher demand and better prices for sellers.

Do RVs lose value quickly?

RVs depreciate, but not as rapidly as cars. On average, RVs lose 20–30% of their value in the first year, then about 5–10% per year after that. Well-maintained RVs hold their value best.

What age group buys the most RVs?

While RV buyers span all age groups, the largest segment is between 45 and 64 years old. This group often includes empty nesters and early retirees with disposable income and time for travel. Recent trends show increasing interest from younger buyers, particularly millennials looking for adventure and flexible living options.

Is it safe to accept personal checks for RVs?

It is not safe to accept a personal check. There’s no guarantee the buyer has enough funds in their account. If the check bounces, you could lose your RV and the payment.

Cashier’s checks are a safer alternative. The bank issues the check from their funds, so you don’t need to worry about it bouncing. To avoid fraud, you must verify the check at the bank or use a publicly available phone number before closing the deal.

You can ditch paper altogether and finish the deal with DealNow. Our intuitive mobile payment platform makes high-dollar RV transactions faster and safer than checks.

DealNow is the easiest way to close your own vehicle deal, anytime. It’s the safe and simple way to avoid fraud, sign documents, and instantly transact, all in one app.

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