Is this a scam?

[BE57 TOY]

My car is on autotrader and I've just received this text message -

Audi A3 ... still for sale? I will pay £8,450.00 CASH and collect TOMORROW! To ACCEPT visit www.ideal-autotrader.com enter PURCHASE ID xxxxxxx

Has anyone ever used this company before?

[omgus]

If you have to ask then you know it probably is.

[TheHeretic]

Of course it is a scam. I'm amazed folks have to ask, but I suppose it is better off that they do.

[Paul_B]

Doesn't look like a scam as such but I'm sure they get the seller's hopes up regarding price and on inspection haggle right down wasting everyones time!

[CraigyMc]

<sarcasm mode>It's not a scam. Let us know how you get on </sarcasm mode>

[stuartmmcfc]

Isn't it another version of "we buy any car.com"?

[Boshly]

"We may request a fully refundable deposit, even if you don't sell us your car".

In their T's and C's.

Not sure how that works, either trying I avoid time wasters or another income stream? Other than that looks like a we buy anycar type operation.

[CraigyMc]

The website "contact us" points to a PO box. There's no company registered number. The phone number looks geographic but isn't (it's registered to Invomo Ltd, which is a mobile bridging telco).

Put another way, if something went wrong with a deal, what would you do?

• You don't know of a premises,
• You don't have a telephone to track and
• You don't know the company director or company number, or even if there is a company at all.

C

[Puddenchucker]

The same "company" keeps cropping up with a slightly different web address, but always with "autotrader" in it to make you think it's affliated to Autotrader.co.uk.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[BE57 TOY]

Thank you all for your input. I'm satisfied this is a scam now!

[s p a c e m a n]

If they turn up and give you cash then I see no problem.

[DIW35]

s p a c e m a n said:

If they turn up and give you cash then I see no problem.

Like that's going to happen.

[WhyVee]

Definite SCAM, don't pay!

There's a recorded message on the Autotrader security team phone line.

0845 071 0487

[Burrito]

Site's only been registered for 24 hours. A quick search for "The car buyers group" listed as the company name in their T&Cs reveals a couple of similar sites, which are no longer available.

Feels a bit dodgy to me.

[rallyman77]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/articles/2014/01/cars/...

Deffo a scam... Stay well clear