Are you selling your car and drowning in tempting offers from supposedly serious buyers? Good this way! But what if one of them suggests having the car picked up by a courier or shipping company? In this article, we will look at the scams that lurk in the dark corners of car sales platforms.

Anyone who has ever sold a car online knows the joy that comes with a promising offer. However, it is important to be careful because not every prospective buyer is as sincere as they may seem at first glance. In fact, there are scams specifically designed to trick inexperienced car salespeople. One such method is to use courier services or shipping companies. Below we take a look at these tactics and give you valuable tips on how to avoid these pitfalls.

This is how fraudsters act when selling cars

  • The stitch

You have advertised your car on a common sales platform such as AutoScout24, Willhaben or http://ländleanzeiger.at . Not long after you post your offer, you receive a message from a prospective buyer. He seems friendly, interested and even confirms your price offer without haggling. Sounds perfect, right?

  • The communication

The prospect asks you a series of questions to confirm their interest: Are you the original homeowner? Why are you selling the car? When was it last serviced? This all sounds very legitimate and will put you at ease with the buyer. Often a copy of your ID is even attached to create trust. However, there is usually no personal contact or telephone conversation.

  • The handover

After all the conditions of sale have been clarified, the buyer comes with unexpected information: he cannot pick up the car himself because he is abroad or lacks time. Instead, he would like to hire a courier service or a shipping company. Alarm bells should now be ringing for you.

The fraudulent processing via courier service and N26

The buyer suggests using a courier or shipping company to collect the car. He explains that he has already paid the purchase price and the shipping costs into his bank. This should manage the money in trust and only release it when the car is handed over.

Bank communication

The buyer states that he has already transferred the money for the purchase and shipping to his bank, often N26. You will receive a confirmation email from the alleged bank. But this email is fake! The scammers ask you to transfer the shipping costs to the shipping company to prove your trustworthiness.

The result of the fraudulent action

If you fall for this scam and transfer the money to the supposed shipping company, the criminals will likely demand even more money from you. Contact will only be terminated once you notice the fraud and stop payments.

Legal threats

If you see through the scam and refuse to transfer any more money, the scammers may try to intimidate you. They pose as employees of the N26 bank or the shipping company and threaten legal consequences. Ignore these threats and cut off contact.

Protect yourself from fraud

Finally, we would like to give you some tips on how you can protect yourself from such scams:

  • Avoid selling abroad if possible.
  • Be careful if buyers want the car picked up by a courier or shipping company.
  • As a seller, never transfer money in advance.
  • Don't blindly trust emails that claim to come from banks. If you are unsure, always contact the bank directly.

Remember that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Stay vigilant and protect yourself from car sales fraud.


Also read: Click into the trap: How a fake Facebook call for help leads to data theft

Source:

Watchlist Internet


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