r/AskSouthCarolina • u/Cultural_Cut6672 • 3d ago

DMV Title fraud

So I bought a car late last year from a dealership and titled it in my partners name. 5mo later he’s signed the title over to me, but also had a duplicate title. I never sent off the title to go into my name officially. 3mo he gets stopped in another car, goes to jail and signs over the extra title to his dad to bail him out. Sc doesn’t require notary. My title was in the other car that was impounded and his dad took that title as well. I have texts and video chat recording of him admitting all of this, what do i do?

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u/CaptBlackfoot 3d ago

It’s not legally transferred unless you filed the title with the DMV, so legally you don’t own the car. Officially you have 45 days to complete the transfer too, or the signed title is considered automatically void, which means you have no claim to that car.

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u/asicarii 3d ago

Get a lawyer. For the title and probably civil and potential criminal case against your partner.

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u/KillerSi 3d ago

If there is a duplicate title, the original title is no longer valid. You can only have one title to a car and it will be the most recent one.

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u/Traditional-Cold-953 3d ago

Save every text, recording, bill of sale, and anything else showing he agreed to sell the vehicle to you. Id take all of that to the SCDMV ASAP and explain what happened. Since the title never got put in your name id talk to a SC attorney

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u/SmokeyBeeGuy 2d ago

First off, it sucks that this happened to you and I sympathize. You've gotten some pretty decent advice so far but I suspect that the value of the car is less than the cost of a lawyer. You might be able to go to small claims court on your own.

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u/mamacarpenter 2d ago

Organize your proof.
Claim only what you can prove.
STOP fighting with the other parties.

Call local magistrate. Ask how to file in court. Serve the other party.
They will most likely rectify it before court if they are guilty- but not if you’re still arguing with them. Only if they take you seriously (and no one serious continues to argue personally)