2. Prices that are too good to be true
Scam listings are priced well below the market to start a rush. Compare the asking price with several similar cars. If it is far cheaper than all of them, there is a reason, and it is rarely in your favour.
3. Off-platform payment and pressure
Scammers push you to move the conversation to messaging apps, pay outside the platform or pay quickly “before someone else does”. Pressure is the main tool, so a seller who rushes you is a warning sign on its own.
4. Fake or doctored documents
A forged V5C, a fake MOT certificate or a made-up service book can look convincing in a photo. The V5C is not proof of ownership by itself, so match it to the seller, the car and the history. Our V5C guide shows what to look at.
5. Hidden finance, write-off, theft or clocking
These are the history scams. A car can look perfect and still be owned by a finance company, have been written off, be stolen or have a wound-back odometer. None of these can be seen on a test drive, which is why a vehicle history check matters most here.
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A credit card payment between £100 and £30,000 can give you extra protection under Section 75 for goods bought from a trader. Debit card payments may offer a chargeback.
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Bank transfers are hard to reverse. Pay by transfer only after you have seen the car, checked the paperwork and are sure of who you are paying.
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Never pay with gift cards, cryptocurrency or a courier “escrow” service the seller recommends.
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Get a written receipt that names the seller, the car (registration and VIN) and the price.
Five checks before you pay
1.
Run the registration through a free vehicle check and make sure it matches the make, model, colour and year of the car in front of you.
2.
Check the MOT history for mileage that goes up steadily and no unexplained jumps.
3.
Check for finance, write-off and stolen markers with a full report.
4.
Match the V5C to the seller’s name and address and to the car’s VIN.
5.
Meet at the seller’s address shown on the V5C, in daylight, and take someone with you.
If you think you have been scammed
Contact your bank straight away, then report it to Action Fraud (or Police Scotland on 101 if you are in Scotland). If you bought from a trader, Citizens Advice and Trading Standards can explain your rights. Check GOV.UK for the current reporting route, as the service has been changing.
The best protection is simple: never pay on trust. Run the registration and read the history first.
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Start with a free check of the registration at carverified.co.uk
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See what is in a full report with the sample report
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Use our free used car checklist when you view a car
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Not sure if you can buy a certain car? Read can I buy, sell or drive this car
Which CarVerified report covers this?
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Free check: start with the free vehicle check for the make, model, colour, year and MOT and tax status, so you can confirm the car matches the advert.
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Silver: the core vehicle history check. Finance is not part of Silver, but it can be unlocked separately.
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Silver Plus: adds the outstanding finance check, which matters most for deposit and “seller owns it” scams.
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Gold: the most complete report, adding ex-taxi, salvage and valuation checks.
See exactly what each report includes on the pricing page or in the sample report, and use the used car checklist when you view the car.