Okay, misleading title; I’m not going to lay out a big pile of tips for putting a car up for sale or any of that jazz. There are a lot of different channels out there, from online auction sites, online classifieds, Auto Trader publications and newspaper classifieds to just parking the ol’ heap on the front lawn with a sign that says “$850 O.B.O.” Pick one or several and run with it.

I’m actually only going to offer one little tip for keeping yourself safe from fraud:

When you’re selling a car to someone else, do not sign over the title, hand over the keys or otherwise let the car out of your control until you have cash in your hand.

Cashier’s check? Counterfeits are everywhere, so wait until that check has been verified as legitimate.

Personal check? NO. Just…NO.

Cash? Great! You still should check for counterfeit bills, though.

The quickest way I can think of to do all of the above? Meet the buyer at your bank or credit union. Whatever s/he hands you, take it directly into the building and make a deposit.