Scammers have been using the pandemic to cheat people out of their motorhome dreams. During the first lockdown, prospective buyers had fallen victim to fake listings for motorhomes and other vehicles – and this trend could continue as we endure a third lockdown in the UK.
Numerous scams came to light last summer as criminals saw an opportunity to con people stuck at home and looking for ways to get out on the road when restrictions were lifted. This primarily targeted the private sales market, but it’s had far-reaching implications, affecting buyer confidence. Now, other types of fraud have been reported, making the situation difficult to monitor for the motorhome industry.
Sophisticated fraud
Those who handed over cash for non-existent motorhomes when the scams first came to light last May said the fake adverts were part of a sophisticated fraud.
The adverts were being copied from genuine listings to ensure they looked legitimate. Scammers would tell buyers that if they put the money in a holding account, they’d deliver the motorhome straight to their door so that the buyer could take it for a test drive. Instead, the money would be taken out of the account and the buyer would be out of thousands of pounds in many cases.
Ongoing issues
Since then, there have been other types of scams that people are falling foul of. Motorhome insurance specialists, Comfort Insurance have recently seen these cons affecting sellers rather than buyers.
Here, the potential buyer test drives the vehicle and pays a deposit, agreeing to pay in full once the test drive is complete. At this point, the buyer tells the seller there are faults and demands they pay less for the motorhome until the seller gives in.
The second example is where the buyer pays the seller in full. The buyer drives away in the vehicle before contacting the seller telling them that the motorhome has broken down or has major faults. The seller refunds the buyer and the buyer then drives away with their cash and the motorhome. In both scenarios, the seller is left out of pocket and without the motorhome.
A global problem
These scams aren’t just confined to the UK, either. Instances of this type of fraud have happened in Ireland and as far afield as Australia, revealing just how widespread the problem is.
The motorhome industry is working hard to make people aware of these scams. However, whichever side of the scam victims fall on, whether buyer or seller, motor insurance doesn’t cover for theft by deception. It also doesn’t cover thefts that aren’t reported to the police, so victims need to alert the police as soon as possible should they be targeted by these scammers.
There are some ways to protect yourself as much as you can. First, treat cash sales with caution. If something about the exchange feels off, you’ll probably be right.
Always try to cover payment via a secure method, such as bank transfer or credit card. Should the other party be unhappy with you suggesting an alternative to cash payments and they get aggressive, try to terminate the exchange, and speak to the police as there’s a chance they might be fraudsters.
If you’re looking to buy or sell a motorhome in the future, be wary of anything that seems off and pull out of the purchase or sale if you’re unsure of anything.
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