Police have received a number of complaints of fraud in relation to cars sold online. Customers should be cautious about accepting payments in the form of banker’s drafts sent from abroad or about wiring money abroad to international car dealers. The current scam involves someone contacting the vendor claiming to be an international car dealer. They then offer to pay well over the asking price for the car with a banker’s draft that arrives in the post. The vendor is asked to pay in the banker’s draft, then send the additional money to the foreign dealer who will use it to pay for shipping costs. The drafts are usually stolen or fraudulent and this is only discovered after the vendor has sent the extra money abroad. The banks take back the money for the draft leaving the vendor well out of pocket. If you are suspicious about someone who tries this method, or you are a victim, please contact your local police station to report the details.

Note: since this alert was written, we have been made aware that the fraud is not restricted to cars, but other high ticket items as well. Fortunately the occasions are rare, but our advice is to be exceptionally vigilant in respect of an overseas buyer. If the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Description

Jargon Buster Classic Cars

One owner

Hertz

Ideal for enthusiast

Total restoration needed

Slight attention needed

Needs major overhaul

Good mechanics

Bad body

Good body

Bad Mechanics

Marriage forces sale

It can be done in a Classic, they did,and must get married

Stored two years

Most parts seized, grass in chassis

No dealers

No body who knows anything about cars, please

Collector's item

Price is over-inflated

Good tires

That's all that is good about it

Excellent condition

Buyer beware

Genuine reason for sale

I've got to dump it

Company car forces sale

I've got a better job and getting a decent car

Baby forces sale

Can't pour any more money into this thing

House forces sale

Neighbors complaining

In need of total restoration

In pieces

Lack of time forces sale

Spent more time than it's worth

Dismantled for restoration

I can't put it back together

Slight accident damage

Total write off

OBO (or best offer)

I don't expect the asking price

Offers

I haven't the nerve to put a price on the car

Used daily

The Dog Sleeps in It

Genuine mileage

Disconnected speedo-cable

Drives good

Looks terrible

Strong runner

Talking About The Dog

Owned by careful lady

The others were maniacs

Will bargain

I'll get mad, you won't buy the car and I'll hit you

Will consider trade

Anything to get out from under this dog

Any Inspection

For People with White Sticks

Jargon Buster A Ringer: A stolen vehicle with a false identity. The name comes from the phrase dead ringer, as the stolen vehicle has a registration number - and a VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) – of another car

Clone: The identity of the car is duplicated onto another car and provides duplicate and forged documents.

Cut & Shut: Sections of different vehicles (often crashed or unroadworthy) are welded together to make one car.

Clocking: The odometer mileage reading is changed to increase the value of the car. Often difficult to detect.

VIN: Vehicle Identification Number (VIN, or chassis number), a much better identifier than the registration plate. The VIN usually has 17 digits, and is found on a metal plate in the engine bay of the car. It is also stamped into the car’s floor, usually near the driver’s seat.

Paper car fraud: The car doesn’t actually exist, except on paper.

Lemon: A dud car; a bad buy. Mechanically unsound or a vehicle with a dubious history.

Write-off:A damaged or stolen car which the insurance company has decided to pay an agreed value for, rather than paying for the cost of repairs. May still be roadworthy depending on the category.

Residual Value: What the car you are buying will be worth at a point in time, e.g. at the end of your finance agreement Personal Leasing Plan/ PLP: A relatively new form of finance. You never become the owner of the car, but lease it from the finance company for an agreed monthly sum.

Grey Import: A grey import is a vehicle designed and built for sale outside the EU, and imported into the UK. Because such a vehicle was not originally intended for sale here, it may not be manufactured to European specifications and may not have undergone European Type Approval.