Moneygram Scam

Used car dealers are increasingly using the internet to source stock and there are numerous adverts for vehicles at very good rates form private individuals wanting to sell their vehicles quickly. However beware some of these bargains are literally too good to be true!

RML has been made aware that there is a scam where the unsuspecting are offered a great bargain vehicle, with the promise that no money will change hands until the purchaser has inspected the vehicle and is satisfied that they want to buy it.

Here’s how it works.

The vehicle offered for sale, is UK registered but either at the docks or in the process of being ‘returned’ to the UK, no import duties or shipping costs have to paid, these have allegedly all been paid by the owner.

The ‘owner’ gives numerous excuses; I have just got married and intend to live in another country, the import duties payable on the vehicle make it inefficient to bring into that country so I just want a quick sale.

HPI checks are conducted on the Vehicle but nothing adverse is found.

No money changes hands

The hook which draws the purchaser in is that no money will change hands until you have inspected the car. However to prove that you have the funds to buy and are not just wasting the Sellers time you must do a Moneygram or transfer with the Post Office into the name of any of the Purchaser’s relatives.

The Purchaser then sends proof that the money has been transferred, usually the receipt, to the Seller who then starts to provide the Seller with the details of how to inspect the Vehicle. Regular contact is made by the Seller, to keep the Purchaser informed and unsuspecting.

The Seller, then goes to a Post Office with forged ID and purports to be the Purchasers relative, to whom the money was transferred. The Seller has the receipt/proof of the transaction, conveniently provided by the Purchaser.

The Seller withdraws the money that the Purchaser transferred to the relative and disappears; no car is ever obtained by the Purchaser.

RML has received this information from a member, vehicles are being offered on the internet for sale so please beware!