Real Stories
Car Crime victim
Val Robinson and her husband had decided to buy a Nissan Navara pickup to take with them to Cyprus, where they were planning to move to, from the UK, to live and work.
The couple had sold their house so they could afford the move and the purchase of a new car. They looked around and found the car of their dreams on www.autotrader.co.uk.
They called the dealer (on his mobile) who was selling the vehicle and arranged to go and see it. The dealer asked if they could pay cash, rather than a cheque and asked them to visit an address where the car would be after being valeted.
The car was parked in a residential street and they met up with the dealer’s son who showed them the vehicle and gave them a test drive. Val’s partner then called up the AA to complete a vehicle check on the car to ensure that it was not stolen or had existing finance. The car check was fine, so the couple handed over £10,500 and drove away with the log book and vehicle registration document.
The car was not taxed so Val visited the post office the next day to sort it out. At the post office, it became clear that there was a problem – the cashier asked Val to call the DVLA as there was some problem with the car tax. Val gave them a call when she got home that afternoon. To her surprise, she was advised that the vehicle was ‘in trade’ e.g. still owned by a car dealership. Val explained that she had just bought the car from a dealer and was advised by the DVLA to call the police..
After the police had seen and checked the vehicle, they gave Val and her husband the bad news. The car was a ‘ringer’. It was stolen and had been given the identity of another vehicle. They also advised Val that the genuine vehicle had just been stolen from the forecourt of the dealership.
When the police looked at the vehicle registration document, they said it was fraudulent – but a very good copy and the best they had seen. It was no surprise then that Val and her partner had no suspicions.
The police then took the vehicle away.
When Val later spoke to the AA about the check she had made, they said that they had checked the vehicle registration number which she quoted – but they were checking the genuine vehicle and had no way of knowing that she was checking a stolen vehicle with the same identity.
Both Val and her partner are gutted that they have lost £10,500 and have had to delay their move to Cyprus by 2 years while they save some more money.
Remember:
- If you are buying from a dealer, always get a landline telephone number and business address. A genuine dealer will always have business premises and a landline, which you can either visit or call
- Never pay cash – if the dealer insists on cash BEWARE. Those that are not genuine dealers want cash only so that they are not traceable. Genuine businesses will always accept cheques
- If you are asked to see the vehicle in a car park or residential road, tell them that you want to see it at the dealership. If they are genuine, they will ask you to visit their showroom