How Not to Get Scammed when Buying a Used Car:
AutoFlare believes in privacy, freedom, and personal responsibility.
Offering Buyers and Sellers privacy by not demanding personal details to use AutoFlare makes you responsible for your own safety.
We realise this isn’t for everyone, but a growing number of people are realising that freedom is *infinitely* better than control, coercion and demands from companies. And these are the users we welcome.
With this in mind, please be aware of these safety “rules” (not literal rules, just really good advice):
1- Don’t Send a Deposit Unless You’re Prepared to Loose It!
Deposit scams seem to be getting more and more common online.
“Sellers” list cars at a very attractive price, with the aim of getting a deposit from buyers eager to reserve a bargain. The problem is that the car doesn’t exist… or at least is not owned by the “seller”.
This practice is common on marketplaces and we expect it to be no different on AutoFlare.
Some scammers seem extremely authentic these days. They often don’t seem keen to take a deposit with statements like “I’ll get back to you once I’ve spoken to my husband”. This is simply a reverse psycology tactic. The “best” scammers practically have you begging them to take a deposit.
The solution is simple: Don’t send a deposit unless you’re prepared to take the risk of losing it!
2- HPI Check the Car You Want to Buy!
We strongly suggest doing a *reliable* HPI check on the vehicle you want to buy. Don’t listen to sellers assurances that it hasn’t been in an accident, or has no finance owing.
Important: Not all HPI checks are equal! We’re aware of companies who offer cheap checks but do not have up to date data. When you HPI the car, it can show as “all clear” when in fact it’s not.
Hard as this is to believe, we have seen it several times. Make sure you use a credible HPI company such as:
3- If in Doubt, Reach Out!
The thrill of getting your dream car at a bargain price can tempt any of us to send a deposit.
Sometimes its legit, and sometimes its not.
We recommend physically seeing the car in person if before parting with any money.
A secondary option is to have a video call with the seller where they walk you around the car, showing you it running and the reg plate etc.
While this doesn’t completely remove the possibility of it being a scam, it makes it much less likely, because deposit scammers don’t usually have possession of the vehicle in the ad.
As a wise man might say: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is!
Enjoy your new car and stay safe online.
Adam
Founder, AutoFlare
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