Web scam wasn’t the wheel deal
A CAR owner’s search for a new set of wheels for his classic motor steered him into the scary territory of a multi-layered scam.
While checking prices for his softtop saloon, Brian Vaughn went on to a Facebook page for motor enthusiasts and posted a message.
Then, he told Crusader, “a man called Simon contacted me with a £200 offer. I checked out the address, which seemed legitimate – it was a garage in Newcastle – and I did a bank transfer.”
His concern began when the seller’s surname changed on the emails sent and then on the shipping information Brian received.
This was followed by a disturbing message from the courier, calling itself PALS, as well as differently spelled domain addresses for its customer support and other inconsistencies on its website information, such as the authenticity of its Glasgow address. Brian was told to pay £350 upfront “today” before receiving the wheels.
“This insurance fee is 100 per cent refundable,” claimed the demand, explaining it “was a new policy enforced by the prevention agents due to the coronavirus, and we don’t want it caught up by any legal authority because it will also ruin our services, so try to get it paid as soon as possible”.
Many calls followed. “This pressure was intense,” says Brian. “I resisted but I wouldn’t want someone else to go through that.”
Realising he had been sucked into a scam network, he reported his wheels payment details to the digital finance company holding the account where his money went. It confirmed it was a scam, said it was “taking action” and referred Brian to his own bank, Santander.
Bank transfers offer no consumer protection or redress which is why crooks choose them. However with Crusader’s help Brian’s case was highlighted and Santander supported him. It said: “We have the utmost sympathy for all those who fall victim to the criminals who perpetrate these scams. After reviewing (Brian’s) case, we have refunded him the £200.
“We would recommend that everyone seeks to verify the legitimacy of online sellers before they go through with a purchase. If something doesn’t seem right, customers should contact their bank immediately so we can investigate and give advice on what to do next.”
Crusader asked PALS, which appears to be US-based, to comment. One email address didn’t work and there was no reply from the other. There has been no response from the Newcastle garage cited by the fraudsters. The wheels seller has disappeared.