Capture the Deal
West Midlands Police encourage people buying second hand cars to take a photograph of the seller before handing over any cash.
This follows a huge increase in the number of buyers being conned into handing over thousands of pounds – only to find their new car was in fact stolen.
Nationally, motoring groups estimate there are more than 10,000 ‘cloned cars’ on the roads in Britain.
Usually, the car is advertised in the classified ads section of car magazines or newspapers. The seller gives a mobile contact which is usually an untraceable pay-as-you go number. The ‘owner’ agrees to meet up at an agreed location and hands over vehicle documents which appear genuine.
A few weeks after being registered by the new owner, police officers turn up at their door and take the vehicle away because it has been stolen. The new owner is left with no car, is thousands of pounds out of pocket and cannot claim on their insurance.
If car buyers take a few simple precautions they could dramatically reduce their chances of being ripped off by unscrupulous car thieves.
Here’s how:
Firstly, ensure you visit the seller’s home – don’t do a deal in a car park or let them visit your home
Secondly, don’t pay cash – if there is a dispute later you have no way of tracing the seller. Instead, pay by banker’s draft, which will at least leave an audit trail. Remember, this is probably the most expensive purchase you will make after a house
Thirdly,take a photograph of the seller standing in front of the car, with the registration showing. If the car is later found to be stolen, at least it will give the police a start and they may be able to trace the person.
If people are genuine sellers, they should have no reason not to want to have their photograph taken. In these days of camera phones and digital cameras, it only takes a few seconds to capture an image – which could help police capture the thieves in the long run.