OFT urges car sellers to be vigilant against con artists

Motorists who are considering placing an advert in order to sell their current modified car may want to heed a warning from the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

Vehicle owners have been advised a number of con artists are taking advantage of drivers looking to find a buyer for their old autos.

It explained cold callers are ringing people who place adverts in magazines, newspapers or online, claiming they can fix the sellers up with a guaranteed purchaser.

However, the fraudster demands a matching fee and in many cases never provides the service promised once the money has been received.

Peter Stratton from Trading Standards commented: "High pressure selling alongside cold calling makes this a very successful scam, often leaving the consumer with very little chance of obtaining redress."

Individuals could save themselves a significant amount of time and money by taking onboard this advice.

Those planning to replace their old vehicle with a new customised motor may also find they can cut their expenditure by searching for competitive modified car insurance online.

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