How can a buyer make sure if a car &quot;CERTIFICATE OF TITLE&quot; is real?
<p>Suppose that a person, A, wants to buy a used car in California. A must get the certificate of title (it seems they call it &quot;pink slip&quot; in CA) from the seller. But how can A make sure if this is the real/true paper? Maybe this would be a fake printed paper? Perhaps the car is in fact stolen. How can A check the paper to prevent scams?</p>

<p>The <a href="https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/handbook/vehicle-industry-registration-procedures-manual-2/odometer-mileage-reporting/certificate-of-title/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">DMV technical manual</a> describes a legitimate title, the &quot;most legitimate&quot; being &quot;Complying Pink Title with Blue Border&quot;, from 12/03:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>The face of the title is pink with a blue border and a white opaque
state seal. The reverse side of the title is blue. VOID appears on the
title if photocopied. The vehicle history (brand) information is
prominently displayed within a red box in the upper right corner of
the certificate. The title contains a warning banner printed in the
right and left border that reads, “VOID WITHOUT BEAR WATERMARK. HOLD
TO LIGHT TO VIEW”. The title contains a custom-repeated pattern of
microprinted wording to expose erasures in the odometer statement
areas. To expose chemical alterations, reactive agents are
incorporated into the paper that produce various stains.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>and more recently</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Has a prominent strand of polyester security thread embedded into the
paper. The thread is repeatedly printed with “State of California” in
a forward/backward position in microprinted text. The ISSUE DATE
section is printed in red. The VEHICLE HISTORY box, VEHICLE ID NUMBER,
PLATE NUMBER, and ODOMETER sections include the words “California
Department of Motor Vehicles” in the shaded areas.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>There are other types, such as &quot;Noncomplying Rainbow Title&quot; which are still valid. The DMV (theoretically) could tell you, but that could complicate a plan to buy a car without a lot of hassle.</p>

california car-title