Is this a scam, I can't figure it out?
Discussion
I'm a PH lurker of many years, and love the readers projects threads. My apologies if I'm not supposed to ask a question in my first post but I have a baffling situation and would appreciate any advice.
I advertised my Golf GTD on AutoTrader on Monday and I have been deluged with calls (about 30 per day, dozens of different numbers) and emails (20 per day), all in roughly the same format:
- I want to buy your car, will you accept £xyz (usually about the WBAC valuation)
- No, I want £abc (AutoTrader sale valuation)
- Discussion about condition
- Ok, I'll pay it, I'll send you a deposit and pick it up this afternoon.
It just sounds too good to be true so I haven't persued any. What am I missing? Is it some kind of scam? If they travel to me to collect the car they are in a pretty weak re-negotiating position.
I advertised my Golf GTD on AutoTrader on Monday and I have been deluged with calls (about 30 per day, dozens of different numbers) and emails (20 per day), all in roughly the same format:
- I want to buy your car, will you accept £xyz (usually about the WBAC valuation)
- No, I want £abc (AutoTrader sale valuation)
- Discussion about condition
- Ok, I'll pay it, I'll send you a deposit and pick it up this afternoon.
It just sounds too good to be true so I haven't persued any. What am I missing? Is it some kind of scam? If they travel to me to collect the car they are in a pretty weak re-negotiating position.
The warning sign that it is a scam is if they massively overpay the deposit ‘by mistake’ and ask you to send back the difference…. Try going a bit further (oo-er) with one of them and see what happens.
If they pay normal deposit & turn up, yay! Worst then is that they ask for a discount
If they pay normal deposit & turn up, yay! Worst then is that they ask for a discount
It really pisses me off when people just open with haggling. Shows they don't really care about the car, its condition or why it may well be worth asking price (or not). Selling and buying cars used to somewhat enjoyable but now I would just sell it to whichever car buying co, offered the most - worth it not to have to deal with private 'buyers'.
Edited by Funk on Wednesday 15th February 08:50
If your advert is detailed and honest, it's perfectly possible the buyer has enough information to justify to themselves buying it without seeing. Just make sure funds clear and they sign the V5 with thier address not the address of thier "sister/mate who the car is for". Make sure too that they put tax on it before they drive away, so it's tied to thier card, which will give proof of change in ownership if they decide to run a red light with your name still on the paperwork
wisbech said:
The warning sign that it is a scam is if they massively overpay the deposit ‘by mistake’ and ask you to send back the difference…. Try going a bit further (oo-er) with one of them and see what happens.
If they pay normal deposit & turn up, yay! Worst then is that they ask for a discount
How does this scam work?If they pay normal deposit & turn up, yay! Worst then is that they ask for a discount
I ask as I had the same situation, someone massively overpaying me for a deposit before even seeing the car. Long story short, my bank said there was no scam and they couldn't recall money sent to me so I was safe to send the money back to them
I had assumed that they overpay me, I pay them back and then they recall the original sum. However this is isn't possible they said...
To offer some balance, I bought a car over the weekend. I saw it on eBay on Saturday afternoon and the seller had uploaded 120 photos as well as a video. It was exactly the car I was after and I knew I wouldn't find a better one, but I live 180 miles away from the seller.
I called him, explained the situation, told him I wanted the car and I was willing to give him a deposit over the phone. I think he was a bit surprised as the advert had only been live for 10 minutes, but he agreed and said no deposit was necessary and that he would hold the car for me.
I left at 9am the next morning, saw the car, took it for a quick drive, handed over the money and left.
I don't know if that is normal, but having missed out on cars before due to someone getting there first I wasn't going to risk it.
In my experience, anyone who sends emails and especially if they haggle over the price via email is 95% a time waster/dreamer.
I called him, explained the situation, told him I wanted the car and I was willing to give him a deposit over the phone. I think he was a bit surprised as the advert had only been live for 10 minutes, but he agreed and said no deposit was necessary and that he would hold the car for me.
I left at 9am the next morning, saw the car, took it for a quick drive, handed over the money and left.
I don't know if that is normal, but having missed out on cars before due to someone getting there first I wasn't going to risk it.
In my experience, anyone who sends emails and especially if they haggle over the price via email is 95% a time waster/dreamer.
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 15th February 09:37
Vsix and Vtec said:
If your advert is detailed and honest, it's perfectly possible the buyer has enough information to justify to themselves buying it without seeing. Just make sure funds clear and they sign the V5 with thier address not the address of thier "sister/mate who the car is for". Make sure too that they put tax on it before they drive away, so it's tied to thier card, which will give proof of change in ownership if they decide to run a red light with your name still on the paperwork
You can't insist a buyer taxes it, it's up to them. It will still be 'taxed' until DVLA are aware of a change of keeper anyway. That'll depend how fast you are on the keyboard. 
Some sellers insist on using post for some reason too. Just get them to sign, date and put the time on a receipt. That's what I do.Your car is well priced and you are being contacted my multiple chaps with similar accents, all (if you Google their numbers) who are connected to companies connected with motor traders who operate on the grounds of a former farmhouse in Sandy, Bedfordshire.
Their goal is to get you to accept a deposit, remove the advert from Auto Trader (so you are now "invested" in the deal), potentially string out when they come to view the car, and chip the price when they meet you (likely in the late PM).
Their goal is to get you to accept a deposit, remove the advert from Auto Trader (so you are now "invested" in the deal), potentially string out when they come to view the car, and chip the price when they meet you (likely in the late PM).
Edited by Swoxy on Wednesday 15th February 21:24
rotaryjam said:
wisbech said:
The warning sign that it is a scam is if they massively overpay the deposit ‘by mistake’ and ask you to send back the difference…. Try going a bit further (oo-er) with one of them and see what happens.
If they pay normal deposit & turn up, yay! Worst then is that they ask for a discount
How does this scam work?If they pay normal deposit & turn up, yay! Worst then is that they ask for a discount
I ask as I had the same situation, someone massively overpaying me for a deposit before even seeing the car. Long story short, my bank said there was no scam and they couldn't recall money sent to me so I was safe to send the money back to them
I had assumed that they overpay me, I pay them back and then they recall the original sum. However this is isn't possible they said...
On thing scammers often do is send false proof - common with things like PayPal payments - so you think you've been paid but you haven't.
nickanderson said:
I'm a PH lurker of many years, and love the readers projects threads. My apologies if I'm not supposed to ask a question in my first post but I have a baffling situation and would appreciate any advice.
I advertised my Golf GTD on AutoTrader on Monday and I have been deluged with calls (about 30 per day, dozens of different numbers) and emails (20 per day), all in roughly the same format:
- I want to buy your car, will you accept £xyz (usually about the WBAC valuation)
- No, I want £abc (AutoTrader sale valuation)
- Discussion about condition
- Ok, I'll pay it, I'll send you a deposit and pick it up this afternoon.
It just sounds too good to be true so I haven't persued any. What am I missing? Is it some kind of scam? If they travel to me to collect the car they are in a pretty weak re-negotiating position.
People paying the full asking without even a viewing, what could possibly go wrong!I advertised my Golf GTD on AutoTrader on Monday and I have been deluged with calls (about 30 per day, dozens of different numbers) and emails (20 per day), all in roughly the same format:
- I want to buy your car, will you accept £xyz (usually about the WBAC valuation)
- No, I want £abc (AutoTrader sale valuation)
- Discussion about condition
- Ok, I'll pay it, I'll send you a deposit and pick it up this afternoon.
It just sounds too good to be true so I haven't persued any. What am I missing? Is it some kind of scam? If they travel to me to collect the car they are in a pretty weak re-negotiating position.
TX.
Swoxy said:
Your car is well priced and you are being contacted my multiple chaps with similar accents, all (if you Google their numbers) who are connected to companies connected with motor traders who operate on the grounds of a former farmhouse in Sandy, Bedfordshire.
Their goal is to get you to accept a deposit, remove the advert from Auto Trader (so you are now "invested" in the deal), potentially string out when they come to view the car, and chip the price when they meet you (likely in the late PM).
This is it. Cheers. I can't be doing with it, I think I'll work through the car buying services to see which offers the best price and keep it simple.Their goal is to get you to accept a deposit, remove the advert from Auto Trader (so you are now "invested" in the deal), potentially string out when they come to view the car, and chip the price when they meet you (likely in the late PM).
Edited by Swoxy on Wednesday 15th February 21:24
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