How to Avoid Common Car Buying Scams
The used car market is mostly full of honest sellers — but the scammers who do operate can cost you thousands. Knowing the common tricks is the best defence. Here are the most frequent UK used car scams and exactly how to protect yourself from each.
Clocking (mileage fraud)
Winding back the odometer to make a car appear to have done fewer miles, increasing its apparent value. Modern digital dashboards can be altered with cheap tools, so it's more common than many buyers realise.
How to protect yourself: Check the MOT history — every test records the mileage. If the reading ever drops or the progression looks implausible, walk away. A free carDNA check shows the full mileage record across all MOTs.
Cloning (identity theft for cars)
A stolen or written-off car is given the identity of a legitimate, similar vehicle by copying its number plates and VIN. You think you're buying a clean car — but it's actually stolen, and could be seized.
How to protect yourself: Confirm the VIN on the car matches the V5C exactly. Check the registration details on carDNA match the car in front of you — make, model, colour and year must all line up. Be wary of any mismatch.
Outstanding finance fraud
Selling a car that still has finance owing on it. The finance company legally owns the car until the debt is cleared, so you could pay in full and still have the car repossessed.
How to protect yourself: Always run a full vehicle history check for outstanding finance before paying. This is not held on free DVLA records, so a dedicated finance check is essential.
Fake escrow and "vehicle delivery" scams
An online advert for a car at a tempting price. The "seller" can't meet in person but suggests a third-party escrow service or upfront delivery payment. Both the car and the escrow site are fake, and your money disappears.
How to protect yourself: Never pay for a car you haven't seen in person. Be deeply suspicious of any seller who refuses to meet or insists on an unfamiliar payment platform. If the price seems too good to be true, it is.
Curbsiding (illegal trading)
A trader posing as a private seller to dodge consumer protection law and offload problem cars. Because you think it's a private sale, you have far fewer legal rights if something goes wrong.
How to protect yourself: Be wary if the seller's name doesn't match the V5C, if they seem evasive about how long they've owned the car, or if the same phone number appears on multiple adverts. Insist on viewing at their home address.
General rules to stay safe
- Never pay before seeing the car in person — this single rule defeats most online scams
- Always view at the registered keeper's address shown on the V5C
- Check the history before money changes hands — both the free carDNA data and a full finance/write-off check
- Be sceptical of bargain prices — a price well below market value is the most common bait
- Use traceable payment and get a signed receipt with both parties' details
- Trust your instincts — if a seller is pressuring or evasive, walk away
If something feels wrong, it probably is. No deal is worth the risk of losing thousands. There is always another car.
What to do if you've been scammed
If you believe you've been the victim of a car buying scam, report it to Action Fraud (the UK's national fraud reporting centre) and to your bank if you've made a payment. If you bought a cloned or stolen car, contact the police. Acting quickly gives you the best chance of recovering money or resolving the situation.
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