A lot of charity organizations take donations of cars to help in their fund raising efforts. That’s really a wonderful win-win situation for the owner of a car that’s still drivable, but maybe not in the best shape, and certainly not worth going through all of the hassle of selling it the conventional way. Or perhaps you know someone who is down on their luck - in this economy it seems there is always someone worse off than we. So, in the spirit of kindness and generosity, you decide to “gift” your used vehicle to an organization or a “needy” person. Do you believe in ghosts?

Sadly, there are a fair number of scams that involve car gifting, and if you are the victim of one of them, you might not be aware of it, until it’s too late. When you gift a car, it’s important for you to be sure that the title is properly and legally transferred to the new owner; for that, you should call up your local department of motor vehicles and ask some questions. Because, if the car you claim you gifted is involved in the commission of a crime, or abandoned somewhere, guess who will be held responsible? The “registered” owner. And that may be you, if the title wasn’t properly transferred and registered.

Every state is different; in some, its simple signatures on the back of the title that will transfer ownership. In others, it’s the physical transference of license plates and papers. In other cases, a notary may need to witness the transaction. Whatever it is, it’s up to you to be sure it’s done properly. Don’t let your good deed come back to haunt you.