LOS ANGELES (CBS) — Whether shopping for a new car online or on the lot, the old adage “let the buyer beware” still holds true in the Internet age.

KNX 1070′s Bill Polish reports on a new cyber-scam linked to one of the most trusted names in the car sales business.

Despite Internet claims to the contrary, Kelley Blue Book, the Irvine-based vehicle price-tracking company based in Irvine, does not offer any kind of buyer protection program.

Online crooks — supposedly selling used-car buyers a “protection program” — are using a phony Kelley Blue Book website to dupe customers.

Blue Book spokeswoman Robyn Eagles urged consumers to check the web address to insure the website is legitimate and secure.

“The site that’s currently up right now does look exactly like our website, but there’s ways that you can look at the URL,” said Eagles. “It’s another country, and it’s not our website.”

Eagles also pointed out the links, phone numbers and other information listed on the phony site are all inoperative, another clue to help distinguish it from the real Kelley website.

The company says its gotten a small but growing number of inquiries during the past couple of months about this scam.