Been scammed!

Transform_IT · 24 Jan 2020 at 22:33

Hi guys,

I feel a right idiot. I purchased, what I thought, was a mint car! I saw the advert on Autotrader and it was described as being immaculate etc. I did a HPI check and MOT history check and everything came back ok. I phoned the private seller and had a long chat regarding the vehicle. They assured me there was no rust or rot. We agreed on a price in principal due to the vehicle being at the other end of the country and I didn't want to miss the opportunity to buy it. I had a guy from Shiply collect the vehicle immediately and once it was on the back of his loader, I paid the seller via Paypal friends and family (my choice as their bank account had reached its cut off for payments) and I paid using my credit card. The car was delivered to me, and on initial inspection, it certainly looked like an amazing buy! Very clean. I took it for a test drive and everything worked as it should and the car felt very solid. I joined an owners club Facebook group and uploaded a photo of my recent purchase. That's when the bad news was delivered. I received a PM from an individual telling me they had sold the car less than two weeks ago as spares or repair due to the car being structurally unsafe. He then sent me photos of the underneath of the car with a quote from a specialist totalling to nearly £4000. He then sent me a link to his Gumtree ad where the car is advertised as spares or repair with the problems regarding the chassis etc. The car was sold for £850 to the guy I bought it off, with a written receipt stating spares or repair. I was told the vehicle was being sold quickly as he was relocating to Spain and wanted it gone... now I feel a wally and a little bit sick, as I have had my two young kids in the car!

I have sufficient evidence to prove the previous owner knew of the issues with the car, along with photos of the underside, the advert which he purchased it from and a signed receipt stating spares or repair.

I purchased the vehicle for £1499 and paid £289 to the Shiply driver to deliver it.
He paid £850 and re-listed it on another platform 9 days later.

I have messaged the guy, explaining the above situation and that I would like to reach an amicable resolution. However, my mind is a little bit blown! I know I could go down the route of small claims court, but Could I also go down the route of contacting my credit card company? I don't know where to start and where I stand.

I hope somebody can maybe lend me some good advice surrounding this, rather than mocking me. I know if it's too good to be true, it usually is. But, yeah... I messed up and I am gutted.

Thanks in advance.

Liquid_Entity · 24 Jan 2020 at 22:35

Gucci belt
Boxing Stance
Corner Sofa
Letterbox poopy time.

sanaxe1 · 24 Jan 2020 at 22:43

You should relist it again and sell it for £1999 and say your relocating.

dowie · 24 Jan 2020 at 22:44

What did he actually tell you about the car? Like if he said it was immaculate and it was clean/immaculate then he’s not lied. Did you ask him anything else, ask about any repairs needed etc..?

AFAIK he can’t lie about this stuff and if he has then you might be able to do something. Like small claims court etc... or even try to report him for fraud etc...

I wouldn’t try to settle it amicably, the guy is a **** and knows full well he’s ripped you off. I think the main question is whether he’s misrepresented the condition of the car, what he specifically said etc... as your rights in a private sale are otherwise limited.

Also some private sellers are really dealers in disguise if this guy is happy to flip a dodgy car in 2 week I guess he’d be happy to do so again... if he’s actually acting as a dealer then that can change things too. Take a look at other used sales in that area etc... It isn’t exactly uncommon to see someone in a ***** area parking cars on verges or just on the road with some hand written “for sale” signs on them, how many of them actually assert to be dealers rather than private sellers is a bit of an open question.

I’d be quite tempted to try and get trading standards, police etc.. involved.

Tek81 · 24 Jan 2020 at 22:46

Out of curiosity, what kind of car was it?

.Lethal · 24 Jan 2020 at 22:47

When something seems to good to be true... oh screw it, some people will never learn.

Malevolence · 24 Jan 2020 at 22:51

Why the hell would you actually pay for a car that you haven't even seen in person?

Dis86 · 24 Jan 2020 at 22:52

Malevolence said:
Why the hell would you actually pay for a car that you haven't even seen in person?

@Acme ?

tom_nieto · 24 Jan 2020 at 23:23

Malevolence said:
Why the hell would you actually pay for a car that you haven't even seen in person?

Especially at £1500!

Sorry OP, I think you’ll spend even more cash fighting this than is worth the time. I’d re list it as MOT’d and take the financial hit.

Top_gun · 24 Jan 2020 at 23:30

Sounds like fraud to me. Plus endangering life. I would get advice from a good solicitor. You are only going get serve you right for chasing a good deal when asking for advice on forums. However, the reality is the scammer has endangered you and your family. Surely, there's a criminal matter as the scammer knew he was selling a dangerous product.

Transform_IT · 24 Jan 2020 at 23:40

Just had a phone call from the chap - apparently, I'm a numpty that's trying to get the car for a reduced price and the previous owner, according to him, is the scammer. The advert he purchased it from, stating SPARES or REPAIRS meant nothing to him and the only reason he is selling is due to not being able to get insured, not the initial lie which was he was moving to Spain... Hustled.

Transform_IT · 24 Jan 2020 at 23:41

Top_gun said:
Sounds like fraud to me. Plus endangering life. I would get advice from a good solicitor. You are only going get serve you right for chasing a good deal when asking for advice on forums. However, the reality is the scammer has endangered you and your family. Surely, there's a criminal matter as the scammer knew he was selling a dangerous product.

This is what has upset me the most. Not the £1500... I was on the motorway, in the car with my two children - driving a car that has two rotten subframes, amongst other things.

Transform_IT · 24 Jan 2020 at 23:42

I am still wondering what my Credit Card company and PayPal would say about it? I appreciate it was done via friends and family, which in hindsight is a ball ache.

G-MAN2004 · 24 Jan 2020 at 23:55

I wouldn't just forget about this and take the financial hit. He willingly let you drive away with children in the car knowing full well it was unsafe. He can't get away with that.

Dis86 · 24 Jan 2020 at 23:56

G-MAN2004 said:
I wouldn't just forget about this and take the financial hit. He willingly let you drive away with children in the car knowing full well it was unsafe. He can't get away with that.

Agreed.

jaybee · 25 Jan 2020 at 00:06

I thought you were going to say it was worth thousands. But then you say he bought for £850 and you bought for £1500. I mean...it's not the end of the world is it. The time, effort, stress to sort this....is it worth it? Basically you can do small claims court or just sell it yourself and take a loss. I also didn't understand this bit: "my choice as their bank account had reached its cut off for payments"

The_Abyss · 25 Jan 2020 at 00:08

jaybee said:
I also didn't understand this bit: "my choice as their bank account had reached its cut off for payments"

This is the part where the scammer makes up any old **** and the buyer accepts it because they don't want to miss out on the 'bargain'.

Psycho Sonny · 25 Jan 2020 at 00:08

Transform_IT said:
This is what has upset me the most. Not the £1500... I was on the motorway, in the car with my two children - driving a car that has two rotten subframes, amongst other things.

Honestly how safe is a £1500 car in reality?

Efour · 25 Jan 2020 at 00:11

Why don't you spend 40 quid on a bat and go visit him?

Assuming you are tasty enough? Which I suspect you are not and you will let this all slide and have a good cry about it.

Transform_IT · 25 Jan 2020 at 00:12

Psycho Sonny said:
Honestly how safe is a £1500 car in reality?

In reality, they can be very safe. The second-hand market is flooded - I have many old Volvos that are the safest, comfiest and most reliable cars I have owned. It is about supply and demand when it comes to vehicles and the second-hand market. But that's beside the point. Ultimately, he has sold the vehicle knowing it was structurally unsafe but now denies all knowledge. I wouldn't be fussed if he had owned the vehicle for 5 years and just didn't want it, but he purchased it 9 days previous to me from Gumtree, asked the seller to remove it because he didn't want his friends to see what he paid... and then re-listed it on Autotrader stating it was a straight vehicle, for £750 more.