Hey @Gracee, that's a smart move to be cautious when a deal feels a little too good to be true. Have you already tried running the VIN through the National Insurance Crime Bureau's (NICB) free database? Letting the community know what you've already checked will help people suggest other good resources

 

Other things to consider if the vehicle was in a flood, accidents, salvage, etc.
Does the seller have a valid title? Demand to see it.
You don't want the vehicle if it has the word "salvage" anywhere on the title.
The title itself could have important information.

Did a search for nicb vin check and it

https://www.nicb.org/vincheck

and a whole bunch of other vin check sites came up.
Doesn't hurt to be careful before buying a used vehicle especially from a fly by night used car lot or a shady seller.

 

Some things to check:

If you can peek under any of the carpet, like where the edge of it is under the dash or below the front seats, look for rust or other corrosion. That could indicate water submersion. Taking a sniff under the dash can help you detect signs of mold.

Check the front pedals for excess wear that seems far and above what the mileage says.

Check the VIN on the window etchings, in front of the dash and the engine block to see if they match.

Look for signs of a quick repaint like ripples that don't match the normal flow of the rest of the paint. Check some of the areas up under the wheel wells or under the hood (around the struts, for example) to see if there is any other color that doesn't belong (blue paint on a red vehicle, for example).

Check for damage to the steering column or or if the steering wheel looks new. That can indicate a force theft start. It can also possibly mean the car was in an accident where the air bag went off.

Look to see if the owner has one of those oil change reminder stickers in the windshield. This will not only tell you the oil maintenance has been done, but when. You can also use that sticker to see if it matches up with an oil change place (or dealership) that is actually in the area.

Check for errors on the dash on startup that don't go away.