Most used-car scams on online marketplaces follow a short script: a car that is cheap enough to tempt you, a seller who cannot meet, and a request for money before you have seen anything. Spot the script and you avoid nearly all of them.
According to Which?, citing Lloyds Banking Group data, vehicle scams rose 74% in the first half of 2023 compared with the year before, with victims losing an average of £998. Most began on Facebook, and the Ford Fiesta was the model most often used in fake listings. Those figures are from 2023, but the tactics have not changed.
1. The car does not exist
The advert uses stolen photos of a genuine car, a believable price, and sometimes a made-up address. There is no car to see.
Stop it: run a reverse image search on the photos and check the plate in the advert. If the same photos appear in other adverts, or the plate's details do not match the make, colour or year in the listing, walk away.
2. The reservation deposit
You are asked for a deposit to "hold" the car, then the seller finds reasons you cannot view it. Which? described a buyer who paid a £100 deposit, was sent a photo of a driving licence as "proof", then asked for another £50 for petrol.
Stop it: never pay a deposit before you have seen the car and the documents in person.
3. The fake holding account
After you agree to buy, you receive an email that looks official and claims your money will be held securely for a week before the seller gets it. Action Fraud has warned about fake emails posing as Amazon payment services doing exactly this. Amazon does not offer such accounts.
Stop it: if a "secure payment" email arrives, ignore it. Check who sent it and look for spelling mistakes, then confirm that you are meeting the seller before any money moves.
4. The extra fee
Once you have paid something, further costs appear: petrol money, insurance, courier fees, "release" charges. Each is small enough to seem reasonable.
Stop it: treat any request for money beyond the agreed price as a stop sign.
5. The pressure tactic
"Three other people are coming this afternoon." "I need to sell today." Pressure is designed to stop you checking.
Stop it: a genuine seller can wait while you run a check. Take your time or walk away.
6. The seller who cannot meet
The seller is abroad, working away or ill, and says a courier or friend will deliver the car after you pay.
Stop it: no inspection, no payment. A car you cannot see at the seller's address is not a car you can buy.
A five-point check before you pay
If the plate details do not match the car, read our guide to cloned number plates. If the car has finance on it, see what happens if you buy a car with outstanding finance.
What to do if you have been scammed
Call your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or through its online service, or to Police Scotland on 101 if you are in Scotland. Report the listing to the platform too.
What these checks cannot do
A plate check cannot tell you whether the seller is honest, and it cannot stop you sending money to a stranger. Only the habit of seeing the car first can do that.
Common questions
Is Facebook Marketplace safe for buying a car?
It is a place to find listings, not a guarantee. The car and the seller are unverified until you check them yourself, so treat every listing as unproven.
How can I tell if the photos are stolen?
Run them through a reverse image search such as Google Lens. You can also ask the seller for a new photo of the car with today's date written on a piece of paper. A genuine seller can do this in minutes.
Can I get my money back after a bank transfer to a scammer?
Call your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud. Recovery is not guaranteed, but speed helps.
Are all cheap cars scams?
No, but a price far below similar cars deserves a check before you reply, not after.
Check the plate before you pay
Put the plate from the advert into the free SMART check at vinfo.app. If the make, colour, fuel or year does not match, you have your answer. If it does, run a Full Check on the car before any deposit leaves your account, so you can see finance, stolen and write-off status for yourself.
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