PeteHall
Moderator
There doesn't seem to be anything like this already, so i thought I'd start a thread to talk about the scams we've encountered, as I think someone was trying me yesterday...
For my part, I'm just curious as to what the scammer was trying to achieve as I can't fathom it, but also, it may actually be useful to prevent other people getting scammed.
The Car Buyer Scam
So, I've got a car for sale on Gumtree. I've got my phone number there so I can be contacted and have stated that potential buyers can phone, message, WhatsApp or email me for more details.
I've had a few people asking a few questions, mostly by the in-app messenger, but a few texts as well. Then I got a WhataApp message saying
I thought this was a bit odd, but I have previously had a similar issue with WhatsApp, so thought I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and messaged the guy. He replied to say he'd just moved from France and needed to get a car. He asked some sensible questions about the condition, servicing, brakes, tyres, keys etc. Details that I hadn't included in my ad. He then asked if the car had been smoked in, again detail I hadn't included and a sensible question. He asked about space for his kids, not really my place to advise how big a car he needs, but having had kids, some cars are much easier with a child seat than others, so fair enough.
Next he asked for a vehicle history report
He said he couldn't check it as the website didn't accept his French bank card.
At this point, I became very suspicious. I checked the website and found it was not secure. I entered the car reg for the free check and it came up showing loads of stuff blurred out wit the option to "upgrade". The only thing it showed was MOT "yes" and Imported "no".
I pointed out that the website was not secure and I wasn't going to enter card details. Instead, I suggested I'd get the guy an official HPI check when he came to see it as I know the vehicle history having bought it from the main dealer. He insisted he wanted the check before coming, so I decided that ?10 on a proper HPI check was no major loss to me and may give other buyers some extra confidence. I bought the official HPI check and sent him screen shots, taking care to blur out the VIN number and V5C number.
Needless to say he never got back to me.
I've since done some more digging. A reverse image search on his WhatsApp picture turns out to be some celebrity I've never heard of and when I try his web link with a vehicle registration that I scrapped last year, it comes up with exactly the same screen showing it as MOT "yes" and the option to "upgrade"; clearly the website is not checking anything.
So he's clearly a scammer, but what is the scam?
- Is it as simple as he's trying to get my money from an "upgrade" on a bogus car checker website?
- Is it that he's trying to scam my bank details from an unsecure website?
- Is he trying to get my VIN number and V5C number to "clone" the vehicle?
Any thoughts? Should I report it?
Any other scams to share?
For my part, I'm just curious as to what the scammer was trying to achieve as I can't fathom it, but also, it may actually be useful to prevent other people getting scammed.
The Car Buyer Scam
So, I've got a car for sale on Gumtree. I've got my phone number there so I can be contacted and have stated that potential buyers can phone, message, WhatsApp or email me for more details.
I've had a few people asking a few questions, mostly by the in-app messenger, but a few texts as well. Then I got a WhataApp message saying
My friend is interested in your car but can't add you on whatsapp, can you message him of 07*********
I thought this was a bit odd, but I have previously had a similar issue with WhatsApp, so thought I'd give him the benefit of the doubt and messaged the guy. He replied to say he'd just moved from France and needed to get a car. He asked some sensible questions about the condition, servicing, brakes, tyres, keys etc. Details that I hadn't included in my ad. He then asked if the car had been smoked in, again detail I hadn't included and a sensible question. He asked about space for his kids, not really my place to advise how big a car he needs, but having had kids, some cars are much easier with a child seat than others, so fair enough.
Next he asked for a vehicle history report
WARNING UNSECURE WEBSITE DO NOT TRY USING THIS SERVICEfor example here ?0.95 http://freecarcheker.co.uk
He said he couldn't check it as the website didn't accept his French bank card.
At this point, I became very suspicious. I checked the website and found it was not secure. I entered the car reg for the free check and it came up showing loads of stuff blurred out wit the option to "upgrade". The only thing it showed was MOT "yes" and Imported "no".
I pointed out that the website was not secure and I wasn't going to enter card details. Instead, I suggested I'd get the guy an official HPI check when he came to see it as I know the vehicle history having bought it from the main dealer. He insisted he wanted the check before coming, so I decided that ?10 on a proper HPI check was no major loss to me and may give other buyers some extra confidence. I bought the official HPI check and sent him screen shots, taking care to blur out the VIN number and V5C number.
Needless to say he never got back to me.
I've since done some more digging. A reverse image search on his WhatsApp picture turns out to be some celebrity I've never heard of and when I try his web link with a vehicle registration that I scrapped last year, it comes up with exactly the same screen showing it as MOT "yes" and the option to "upgrade"; clearly the website is not checking anything.
So he's clearly a scammer, but what is the scam?
- Is it as simple as he's trying to get my money from an "upgrade" on a bogus car checker website?
- Is it that he's trying to scam my bank details from an unsecure website?
- Is he trying to get my VIN number and V5C number to "clone" the vehicle?
Any thoughts? Should I report it?
Any other scams to share?