Avoid Ebay Scam: 3 litre SI Coupe

Usel said:
Seems a good price for a low mile Coupe:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/19599885...It7WsBQ|tkp:Bk9SR7T0_8XZYg&LH_ItemCondition=4

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Especially considering it's listed on Piston Heads in Market Harborough for £9,995 - alas like most to good to be true eBay adverts this one is clearly a scam.

A good indication of a scam advert is to look at the sellers other items for sale - likelihood is they will always have multiple vehicles for sale at very cheap prices.
 
You get in contact asking to view only to be told they're working abroad and the car is at a friend, and because that friend is doing them a favour they don't want to burden them with doing viewings. Or some similar excuse. But they've left the signed V5 with that friend so if you bank transfer them the money they'll tell you the address and get the friend to give it you with the keys when you turn up to collect.

It works on gullible people thinking they're getting a bargain too good to miss and transferring the money up front in fear of missing out. 99.9% of people wouldn't be so stupid but it only takes one for them to pocket £6k for minimal effort. FB Marketplace is chock full of these scam ads.
 
I'm pretty clued up on what Zeds are about in Norwich (very few) and there is no black Coupe! 2 Silver ones yes, but no black! :rofl:
 
Scam can work in multiple ways.

Involves creating urgency and securing the car with a deposit now, as "someone is coming to view the car in half an hour from London".

Deposit may only be a couple of hundred, but it’s money you won’t see again.

Multiply this by 20 ads + a couple of hits per ad. It’s an income.
 
MKZ4000 said:
How does the scam work ? They threaten you when you come to view the vehicle that doesn't exist ?
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More often than not they ask for a deposit to hold the car, then cease all contact once they have it. I suspect they are a lot more successful doing this than finding people to pay the full amount up front.
 
elfer said:
You get in contact asking to view only to be told they're working abroad and the car is at a friend, and because that friend is doing them a favour they don't want to burden them with doing viewings. Or some similar excuse. But they've left the signed V5 with that friend so if you bank transfer them the money they'll tell you the address and get the friend to give it you with the keys when you turn up to collect.

It works on gullible people thinking they're getting a bargain too good to miss and transferring the money up front in fear of missing out. 99.9% of people wouldn't be so stupid but it only takes one for them to pocket £6k for minimal effort. FB Marketplace is chock full of these scam ads.
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I see. That must be how the facebook marketplace ones work as well. There seems to be multiple sellers selling lots of vehicles at once way below their worth. I had assumed they were genuine sells but priced low on the advert to appear in more searches but when you enquire they reveal their true selling price.

I would not pay a deposit before viewing a car, but as you say it only takes a few to do so to make them some money.
 
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