classifieds

[adamwiggins]

Hi, just wondering if anyone else has had 'a prospective buyer' contact them asking for more details that include not only the VIN number but also the V5 serial number? Am I being paranoid or could someone be wanting this information for cloning?

[ejenner]

I'd say that is far too much information to be giving away. The vin number wbould be useful for someone doing a vehicle data check but you would only give it to them if they were serious about buying the car and they would only need it to verify the data they had got back from the vehicle database. The serial number from the V5 is used for all sorts of things... none of them related to buying or selling the vehicle under normal circumstances!

[V8mate]

The serial from the MOT certificate is a legitimate request, as it allows a prospective buyer to check the MOT history. But the V5 serial is of no genuine benefit at all.

[rob.kellock]

adamwiggins said:

Hi, just wondering if anyone else has had 'a prospective buyer' contact them asking for more details that include not only the VIN number but also the V5 serial number? Am I being paranoid or could someone be wanting this information for cloning?

Yes, this happened to me a couple of weeks ago.

First email was very polite and credible - Hi, Can you tell me if you still have the car for sale? Very interested if you do, Regards.

Second email asked if there was documented service history, did I have the V5, full reg and VIN number etc. Having voiced the opinions of the wise on the PH Porsche forum, I asked the chap to ring me up and heard nothing further. I was suspicious as the car reg was visible in the ad and reference made to the fact that the car is not yet due its first service. Annoying.

[adamwiggins]

Thought it sounded too good to be true when they said 'if it's still available you could have a cash buyer on your hands'. No one is that enthusiastic when they have cash! Since it was broken English they used and since they also asked for the MOT serial number (even though the car's only 10 months old) I thought it might be a scam. I'd share the name but dunno if I'm allowed to name n shame on here. It was a girls name though if that helps!

[adamwiggins]

rob.kellock said:

Yes, this happened to me a couple of weeks ago.

First email was very polite and credible - Hi, Can you tell me if you still have the car for sale? Very interested if you do, Regards.

Second email asked if there was documented service history, did I have the V5, full reg and VIN number etc. Having voiced the opinions of the wise on the PH Porsche forum, I asked the chap to ring me up and heard nothing further. I was suspicious as the car reg was visible in the ad and reference made to the fact that the car is not yet due its first service. Annoying.

sounds like the same person!

[sleep envy]

adamwiggins said:

Hi, just wondering if anyone else has had 'a prospective buyer' contact them asking for more details that include not only the VIN number but also the V5 serial number? Am I being paranoid or could someone be wanting this information for cloning?

Ask him for his Western Union Money Transfer account details.

[wav8]

When I used hpi to check car details they asked for the number off of the v5 document and would not garuantee vehicle history without it

[sleep envy]

wav8 said:

When I used hpi to check car details they asked for the number off of the v5 document and would not garuantee vehicle history without it

Surely you'd view the car before HPI'ing it?

[cptsideways]

sleep envy said:

wav8 said:

When I used hpi to check car details they asked for the number off of the v5 document and would not garuantee vehicle history without it

Surely you'd view the car before HPI'ing it?

Not if its a long way away, often worth a cheap text check to see if it flags up anything, 3 quid versus 60 quid in fuel?

[sleep envy]

cptsideways said:

cheap text check

I thought you only need the reg for those not the V5 number or VIN number?

[Krikkit]

Even if it wasn't that far I'd probably do it first to save wasted time. You can pick up a decent HPI for £2-5 these days.

Asking for the VIN doesn't seem too suspicious, but the V5 serial as well? Clone-o-matic by the sounds.

[Aviz]

adamwiggins said:

Hi, just wondering if anyone else has had 'a prospective buyer' contact them asking for more details that include not only the VIN number but also the V5 serial number? Am I being paranoid or could someone be wanting this information for cloning?

I asked for this when I bought my last car from a.dealer, so i could check the mot history.

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicl...

He emailed it me , no questions asked.

[wav8]

sleep envy said:

wav8 said:

When I used hpi to check car details they asked for the number off of the v5 document and would not garuantee vehicle history without it

Surely you'd view the car before HPI'ing it?

Sorry for delay yes checked the car first though it was 300 miles away and used hpi think it was £30 and they asked for v5 number.