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Buying a Car OnlineCRIMINAL GANGS TARGET ONLINE USED CAR BUYERS BBC report echoes HPI warning of last year Last year HPI urged used car buyers to be aware of the risk of online fraudsters selling ‘virtual vehicles’ by claiming they are with a shipping company. Shocking reports this week from the BBC confirm that this threat very much continues with the Metropolitan Police shutting down 21,000 fraudulent shipping websites in the UK in the last year alone. HPI welcomes this latest spotlight on ‘virtual cars for sale’ and hopes together with the police, consumers can be made more aware of the dangers they can face. In 2008, HPI noticed a rise in the number of queries from potential buyers who have seen cars for sale online, often being advertised for up to 50% of the real value. The sellers advertise a car, claiming it is out of the country, but located with a shipping company ready to import back to the UK. The buyer is instructed to transfer payment for the car to a third party holding company on the understanding that the money would only be released to the seller once the buyer had received the car and was happy with the purchase. Unfortunately, once the sale goes ahead, the car never materialises, leaving the buyer thousands of pounds out of pocket. Used car buyers can help to protect themselves by following some simple steps: 1) Always ensure they view and purchase a vehicle at the keeper’s registered, V5 address. 2) Never pay in cash and always view the vehicle before parting with any money. 3) Fraudulent sellers often rely on hooking a buyer with rock bottom prices so if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. 4) Buyers should always do their own HPI Check to make sure the car is legitimate and the documents accompanying the vehicle are not stolen or fraudulent. Mr Aldridge of Cheshire, was nearly an unwitting victim of the ‘virtual car for sale’ scam, but thanks to HPI’s advice walked away unscathed: “I consider myself an intelligent and cautious person, however I have previously always bought new cars, and was not aware of any type of used car fraud. When I first saw the price of a nearly new Mercedes 220 cdi sport saloon advertised online, I was keen but guarded. I conducted an HPI Check on the vehicle’s vehicle registration number (VRM) which checked out okay, so I pursued the sale further. When I contacted the vendor I was told that the car was in Spain and the sale would be done through a third party. Whilst I initially thought this was odd, I thought it was worth investigating so I contacted the third party company who assured me that the car could be returned if I was not happy with it on delivery. “Luckily, I decided to do a full HPI Check on both the vehicle’s VRM and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) and after reading HPI’s fraud statement, I researched the third party company online. I was alarmed to discover the company had a history of fraud so I tried to contact the vendor, asking for a V5 and proof of ownership. Not surprisingly, he was very shirty and subsequently became difficult to reach, which made me even more wary so I decided not to buy the vehicle. I eventually went on to buy a different Mercedes, but without the HPI Check I could have lost a serious amount of money.” Director of HPI Nick Lindsay adds: “Mr Aldridge had a lucky escape, but many others aren’t quite so fortunate. Our investigations revealed that these criminals are usually operating in Portugal, Spain and Eastern Europe and use fraudulent credit cards to obtain the DVLA details of genuine vehicles they have seen for sale, they then go online themselves to sell phantom cars they don’t even own. Whilst the HPI Check offers protection for car buyers, we welcome the steps taken by the police to further close the net on those criminal gangs targeting them. “This new focus from the BBC and the Met should help to educate consumers and raise the profile of these criminals’ gangs and their methods. As more and more people choose the convenience of buying cars online, it is more essential than ever that they do their own HPI Check. Don’t take anything a seller says on face value. Buyers should never purchase a vehicle without seeing it themselves.” About HPI: Together, HPI and NMR represent the UK's largest vehicle information source, combining and interpreting data from government agencies, industry bodies, private organisations, the police and the general public. Registering with HPI helps companies to protect their financial interests in motor vehicles and a wide range of other mobile assets. HPI Checks give purchasers instant confirmation of whether vehicles are correctly described, known to be subject to outstanding finance or serious accident damage, or recorded as stolen or "clocked". |
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