USED CAR SCAMS ‘OFF THE SCALE’

The number of online used car scams has soared in recent months, according to a vehicle data specialist. Mycarcheck.com has warned of a marked increase in online used vehicle scams where buyers are conned out of thousands for vehicles that don’t exist.

Mark Bailey, head of CDL Vehicle information systems, which owns mycarcheck. com, said: “The sheer volume of online scams is off the chart this summer.

“The staff at our Glasgow call centre speak to used car buyers every day, often when they’ re about to transfer money, so we have our finger very much on the pulse ,” added mr Bailey.

“From early this year we saw a significant rise in fraudulent online adverts, but from May onwards it really ramped up .”

The con artists, often operating in organized gangs are increasingly sophisticated and even set up fake dealer sites to make them look leigitimate.

There are some tell tale signs that the advert is a scam so bear in mind the following when considering a secondhand purchase:

Is the vehicle being offered for substantially less than other similar models? If it looks too good to be true, it probablyis. check average prices for whatever model you’ re looking at and be wary of anything that’s far cheaper.

Does the number ring out or go to voicemail, prompting you to ‘email the seller’?if you’re asked to conduct the whole process over email start to question why, especially if you’re encouraged to hand over funds before seeing the car.

Are you then offered a vehicle that is abroad but can be ‘shipped to you’? Why is a car being advertised for sale in the UK if it’s sitting in Spain or Italy? You should never buy a second-hand car without seeing it in the metal first so walk away if the seller assures you the car is ready to be shipped once you’ve paid for it.