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08 December 2011 02:12
Motoring
Warning about website car sales scam
North Lincolnshire Council Trading Standards is warning people to be wary of a rip-off car sales website after a motorist spent £9,000 on a BMW that never appeared.
A number of complaints have been made about http://repossessedcarssalesdirect.com, a car sales website claiming to be based in Scunthorpe.
The website is registered in the USA and offers vehicles for sale at prices much cheaper than their market value.
The business address given on the website is an office in Scunthorpe but Trading Standards officers do not believe the company is based there.
Consumers are warned to be wary of buying from such websites while the complaints are investigated.
People buying cars from the website are asked to pay using an online bank transfer through a live chat facility rather than with a debit or credit card.
Bank transfers offer very little protection for consumers compared to credit and debit cards.
The company says vehicles are delivered within five days of payment but the website is a scam and the cars do not appear.
A number of customers claim to have transferred money from their accounts but have not received a vehicle including one person who paid £9,000 for a BMW that was never delivered.
Two similar websites that have since closed down were listed at the same Scunthorpe address and another was listed in the Isle of Man.
These websites were Car-Sales-Direct.com and Usedcars-warehouse.com
Cllr Nigel Sherwood, cabinet member for Highways and Neighbourhoods at North Lincolnshire Council, said: “Be very cautious when spending large sums of money online.
“If the price seems too good to be true it probably is.
“Call Consumer Direct on 08454 04 05 06 if you think you have been the victim of an online shopping scam.”
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