Scams
Car buyers and sellers must pay great attention to two new forms of scams in which criminals attempt to manipulate the public to part with their money or their financial details.
In one scam, a would-be car seller attempts to get buyers to part with half the purchase price before shipping the car to Ireland. In the second, people selling their second-hand cars have been targeted by scammers attempting to gain access to their bank account information.
Here are a few things to look out for:
Ask yourself: Is the price of the vehicle much lower than other vehicles of similar years/models? If so, why?
Be aware if the seller is only contactable by email. If you can’t speak to the seller on the phone, why not?
Is the content of emails received from buyers/sellers suspicious? Look out for emails that contain incorrect spelling, punctuation and if it requests your personal information – it could be a scam.
When buying: Do not hand over any money before you’ve seen the car – cash is often the best form of payment.
When buying: Check the seller has a landline phone number and only arrange to look at the vehicle at their home address.
When selling: Never let an unknown buyer bring your car for a test drive alone. Take the keys out of the ignition and hold on to them when swapping seats.
When selling: Never let a car go before receiving full payment.
If you have any queries about a buyer/seller that you think maybe suspicious please contact us at info@whichmotor.com.