Scam adverts on autotrader

[NH1]

Every time I search for anything on AT I come across scam adverts such as the ones below

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/2014...



It pisses me off so much that I then go looking for other scam adverts to report and lose track of what I was looking for in the first place.

Surely AT must have the knowledge to filter out any ads that have an email address shopped onto the photos. It should also mark the add as suspicious if the add has an email in the text.

Do the scammers actually have to pay to get the add on autotrader, I hope I cost them every time I report something.

[Roo]

AT don't care. They've got the money for the ad. That's all they care about.

[B17NNS]

Pretty much every search you do the first thing you see is a scam ad.

I always try to report them.

[DevonPaul]

Wierd, I browse AT all the time and don't think I've ever seen one of these scam ads.

Maybe I'm looking for the wrong sort of car.

[Phateuk]

[quote=N

Do the scammers actually have to pay to get the add on autotrader, I hope I cost them every time I report something.


[/quote]

They will gain access to a traders account details and post the ads using that,the scam contact details are put into the image to try and stop people phoning/emailing the dealers real saved contact details against the account.

I would imagine the process is something like this:

1. Scammer scans AT for ads with email address.
2. Phishing email sent appearing to be from AT asking to confirm account details for security reasons.
3. Dealer clicks link to fake site thinking they're visiting AT, they enter their details.
4. Scammer logs in and posts ad of desirable car at ~50% expected price.
5. Gullible people respond and get scammed/ annoyed PHers realise its too good to be true and is a scam,report to AT.
6. Rinse /repeat.

[Jezzerh]

Idgi. What's the scam?

[Terminator X]

Pay a deposit etc to secure the silly cheap car never to see it again?

TX.

[NH1]

Phateuk said:

NH1 said:

Do the scammers actually have to pay to get the add on autotrader, I hope I cost them every time I report something.

They will gain access to a traders account details and post the ads using that,the scam contact details are put into the image to try and stop people phoning/emailing the dealers real saved contact details against the account.

I would imagine the process is something like this:

1. Scammer scans AT for ads with email address.
2. Phishing email sent appearing to be from AT asking to confirm account details for security reasons.
3. Dealer clicks link to fake site thinking they're visiting AT, they enter their details.
4. Scammer logs in and posts ad of desirable car at ~50% expected price.
5. Gullible people respond and get scammed/ annoyed PHers realise its too good to be true and is a scam,report to AT.
6. Rinse /repeat.

That makes sense, maybe it would be better to report it to the dealer and let him know if he has an email address.

edit: the BMW I posted above though is a private sale with telesafe number, obviously a scam though.

[Phateuk]

NH1 said:

Phateuk said:

NH1 said:

Do the scammers actually have to pay to get the add on autotrader, I hope I cost them every time I report something.

They will gain access to a traders account details and post the ads using that,the scam contact details are put into the image to try and stop people phoning/emailing the dealers real saved contact details against the account.

I would imagine the process is something like this:

1. Scammer scans AT for ads with email address.
2. Phishing email sent appearing to be from AT asking to confirm account details for security reasons.
3. Dealer clicks link to fake site thinking they're visiting AT, they enter their details.
4. Scammer logs in and posts ad of desirable car at ~50% expected price.
5. Gullible people respond and get scammed/ annoyed PHers realise its too good to be true and is a scam,report to AT.
6. Rinse /repeat.

That makes sense, maybe it would be better to report it to the dealer and let him know if he has an email address.

I'm sure AT notify them as part of the removal process of the scam advert.

[edo]

The technology to pick up pictures with text in, or even alert cars that are too cheap compared to say CAP or Glasses valuations is a piece of cake.

As others have said , AT can't be bothered to invest. They should of course since people will stop using it if it gets worse. Look at Exchange and Mart - pretty much unused, and AT would do well to realise it doesn't take much to lose your spot.

[tali1]

The ones i see would usually say "price is £16000 not £6000"
And there are loads of sellers "upgrading their spec level" ie the GL is advertised as a Ghia.

[edo]

120 miles instead of 120,000 drives me nuts too..

[Mike_Mac]

Ditto with the '£995 - no actually it's £8,995' variety. Why bother! Makes searching for a cheap shed very annoying!!

[V8forweekends]

Mike_Mac said:

Ditto with the '£995 - no actually it's £8,995' variety. Why bother! Makes searching for a cheap shed very annoying!!

"And the £350 a day to hire"

[Far Cough]

My mate has just had his private ad changed. Bog stock astra and when he checked the ad the price had been lowered by £2000 and an email imported to one of the photos. Strangely the telesafe number still went through to his phone. So , how do they get into someones account so easily ? His password was an unguessable bunch of numbers and letters so whoever has done it must have some insider knowledge.

He emailed the scammer for some fun once the ad was returned back to normal and they replied stating the car was in the netherlands but as per photo and description etc etc. Just deposit said amount and it will be delivered ..... yeah , right !!

Only problem is ... now he is getting lots of calls from people who have seen the cheap car and dont understand when he explains the ad was wrong ... PITA

So , back to the question in hand .... how do they access the Autotrader servers or accounts ??