Scam adverts on Autotrader - today's batch

I've been out today, but I did perform a quick check before I left and saw no scammer activity, but a member has pointed this one out and it seems that the scammers have been busy.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/citroen/ds3/used-citroen-ds3-1-6-hdi-110-dsport-plus-3dr-sheffield-fpa-201311270189082?logcode=p

£3,000 Citroen DS3 1.6 HDi 110 DSport Plus 3dr Hatchback Special

Link in photo.

Contact me directly at: [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/volkswagen/touareg/used-volkswagen-touareg-3-0-v6-tdi-cr-dpf-altitude-5dr-tip-auto-sheffield-fpa-201311270188937?logcode=p

£4,000 Volkswagen Touareg 3.0 V6 TDI CR DPF Altitude 5dr Tip Auto Diesel

Link in photo.

Contact me directly at: [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/volvo/c30/used-volvo-c30-d2-115-r-design-3dr-sheffield-fpa-201311270189080?logcode=p

£2,500 Volvo C30 D2 [115] R DESIGN 3dr Diesel Sports Coupe 1.6

Link in photo.

Contact me directly at: [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/volvo/xc90/used-volvo-xc90-2-4-d5-executive-5dr-geartronic-sheffield-fpa-201311270189017?logcode=p

£4,500 Volvo XC90 2.4 D5 Executive 5dr Geartronic Diesel Estate

Link in photo.

Contact me directly at: [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/mazda/mazda6/used-mazda-mazda6-2-0d-sl-5dr-croydon-fpa-201311260166225?logcode=p

£0 Mazda MAZDA6 2.0d SL 5dr

Link in photo.

Privateseler!Do Not Call.For any questions contact the seller at: [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/jaguar/xf/used-jaguar-xf-3-0d-v6-s-portfolio-4dr-auto-sheffield-fpa-201311270188927?logcode=p

£6,000 Jaguar XF 3.0d V6 S Portfolio 4dr Auto Diesel Saloon

Link in photo.

Contact me by email: [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/porsche/911/used-porsche-911-s-2dr-pdk-sheffield-fpa-201311270189016?logcode=p

£15,000 Porsche 911 S 2dr PDK [997] Carrera Coupe 3.8

Link in photo.

Contact me by email: [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/porsche/cayman/used-porsche-cayman-2-7-2dr-sheffield-fpa-201311270189008?logcode=p

£3,500 Porsche Cayman 2.7 2dr Coupe

Link in photo.

Contact me by email: [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/porsche/panamera/used-porsche-panamera-3-0-v6-diesel-4dr-tiptronic-s-sheffield-fpa-201311270188939?logcode=p

£14,800 Porsche Panamera 3.0 V6 Diesel 4dr Tiptronic S Diesel Saloon

Link in photo.

Contact me by email: [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/fiat/500/used-fiat-500-1-2-pop-3dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270190314?logcode=p

£3,100 Fiat 500 1.2 Pop 3dr

Link in photo.

PRIVATE SALE-DO NOT CALL-if you have any question please email seller at [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/ford/focus/used-ford-focus-1-0-125-ecoboost-zetec-5dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270191206?logcode=p

£5,800 Ford Focus 1.0 125 EcoBoost Zetec 5dr

Link in photo.

PRIVATE SALE-DO NOT CALL-if you have any question please email seller at [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/ford/mondeo/used-ford-mondeo-2-2-tdci-titanium-5dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270191137?logcode=p

£5,000 Ford Mondeo 2.2 TDCi Titanium 5dr

Link in photo.

PRIVATE SALE-DO NOT CALL-if you have any question please email seller at [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/ford/mondeo/used-ford-mondeo-2-0-tdci-titanium-x-5dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270191089?logcode=p

£3,000 Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi Titanium X 5dr

Link in photo.

This is a private sale.Please do not call us,contact the seller directly at : -if you have any question please email seller at [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/ford/fiesta/used-ford-fiesta-1-4-tdci-style-5dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270190937?logcode=p

£2,200 Ford Fiesta 1.4 TDCi Style 5dr

Link in photo.

This is a private sale.Please do not call us,contact the seller directly at : [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201311270190639/sort/default/usedcars/dealer/13957/page/1/postcode/ng172jz/advert-type/dealer-stock?logcode=dsp

£2,200 Audi A4 1.8T S Line 4dr Multitronic

Link in photo.

This is a private sale.Please do not call us,contact the seller directly at : [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201311270190715/sort/default/usedcars/dealer/13957/page/1/postcode/ng172jz/advert-type/dealer-stock?logcode=dsp

£2,200 Volkswagen Passat 2.0 Sport TDI 5dr

Link in photo.

This is a private sale.Please do not call us,contact the seller directly at : [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201311270190677/sort/default/usedcars/dealer/13957/page/1/postcode/ng172jz/advert-type/dealer-stock?logcode=dsp

£2,300 Honda Civic 2.0 i-VTEC Type R 3dr

Link in photo.

PRIVATE SALE-DO NOT CALL-if you have any question please email seller at [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201311270190312/sort/default/usedcars/dealer/13957/page/1/postcode/ng172jz/advert-type/dealer-stock?logcode=dsp

£2,500 Vauxhall Astra 1.9 CDTi 16V Design 2dr

Link in photo.

This is a private sale.Please do not call us,contact the seller directly at : [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201311270190338/sort/default/usedcars/dealer/13957/page/1/postcode/ng172jz/advert-type/dealer-stock?logcode=dsp

£2,500 Ford Focus 1.8 TDCi Zetec 5dr

Link in photo.

PRIVATE SALE-DO NOT CALL-if you have any question please email seller at [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201311270190274/sort/default/usedcars/dealer/13957/page/1/postcode/ng172jz/advert-type/dealer-stock?logcode=dsp

£3,000 BMW 1 SERIES 118d ES 5dr 2.0

Link in photo.

This is a private sale.Please do not call us,contact the seller directly at : [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201311270190246/sort/default/usedcars/dealer/13957/page/1/postcode/ng172jz/advert-type/dealer-stock?logcode=dsp

£3,200 BMW 3 SERIES 330d M Sport 4dr Auto 3.0

Link in photo.

This is a private sale.Please do not call us,contact the seller directly at : [email protected]

jeepers - this is never ending. I'll finish the list on Thursday.

All ads reported.

The scammer is now making elementary and predictable errors. Am i complaining ?

Generally they aim to flood the site on a Friday when they believe most people will start looking for cars at the end of the working week, and when the website and dealers may be less set to deal with scam ads. After last weekend's success they may be checking out when and how frequently i check. I'm happy to check every day and whenever's most inconvenient for the scammers.

This is quite bizarre.

I had to give up listing the cars last night as it was getting late and I was tired after a day out. The cars were all listed under the identity of one dealer and it was quite a simple matter to locate them using the dealer search function on the autotrader website and I planned to complete the task this morning.

This morning the scam adverts have been removed from the dealer stock list, and yet the adverts still remain in place advertised under the dealer's identity. This appears to be the worst of all alternatives. I can still track and trace them with more effort, but it is now more difficult and potential victims are still liable to believe the postings are the responsibility of the dealer.

Doing half a job is actually more harmful than doing nothing at all.

Sometimes you just have to go

Beyond that, such things attract my greater interest and curiosity and it forces me to examine the adverts in greater detail which I have the time to do.

Obviously I'm a bit grumpy now, so I'll track and trace every adverts I can find, and that's a promise. I doubt I'll miss many though it might take all day.

This is a continuation of the list above and all cars will have been reported. I'll post a new list tomorrow showing those that have not been removed and any new ones that have been added. I won't be going out again until next week.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/honda/accord/used-honda-accord-2-2-i-dtec-es-gt-5dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270190897?logcode=p

£0 Honda Accord 2.2 i-DTEC ES GT 5dr

Link in photo.

This is a private sale.Please do not call us,contact the seller directly at : [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/bmw/1-series/used-bmw-1-series-118d-5dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270190224?logcode=p

£0 BMW 1 SERIES 118d 5dr 2.0

Link in photo.

PRIVATE SALE-DO NOT CALL-if you have any questions please email the seller at [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/bmw/1-series/used-bmw-1-series-118d-sport-2dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270191255?logcode=p

£0 BMW 1 SERIES 118d Sport 2dr 2.0

Link in photo.

PRIVATE SALE-DO NOT CALL-if you have any questions please email the seller at [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/volkswagen/passat/used-volkswagen-passat-2-0-tdi-bluemotion-tech-se-4dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270191228?logcode=p

£0 Volkswagen Passat 2.0 TDI Bluemotion Tech SE 4dr

Link in photo.

PRIVATE SALE-DO NOT CALL-if you have any questions please email the seller at [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/audi/a1/used-audi-a1-1-4-tfsi-sport-5dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270190949?logcode=p

£0 Audi A1 1.4 TFSI Sport 5dr

Link in photo.

This is a private sale.Please do not call us,contact the seller directly at : [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/audi/a5/used-audi-a5-3-0-tdi-quattro-s-line-special-ed-2dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270191044?logcode=p

£0 Audi A5 3.0 TDI Quattro S Line Special Ed 2dr

Link in photo.

This is a private sale.Please do not call us,contact the seller directly at : [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/citroen/ds3/used-citroen-ds3-1-6-hdi-16v-dstyle-3dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270191165?logcode=p

£0 Citroen DS3 1.6 HDi 16V DStyle 3dr

Link in photo.

PRIVATE SALE-DO NOT CALL-if you have any questions please email the seller at [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/volvo/s60/used-volvo-s60-d3-163-r-design-4dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270191100?logcode=p

£0 Volvo S60 D3 [163] R DESIGN 4dr 2.0

Link in photo.

PRIVATE SALE-DO NOT CALL-if you have any questions please email the seller at [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/volkswagen/tiguan/used-volkswagen-tiguan-2-0-tdi-se-5dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270191109?logcode=p

£0 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDi SE 5dr

Link in photo.

This is a private sale.Please do not call us,contact the seller directly at : [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/bmw/x3/used-bmw-x3-2-5si-m-sport-5dr-step-auto-south-croydon-fpa-201311270191184?logcode=p

£0 BMW X3 2.5si M Sport 5dr Step Auto

Link in photo.

This is a private sale.Please do not call us,contact the seller directly at : [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/bmw/x5/used-bmw-x5-3-0i-5dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270190330?logcode=p

£0 BMW X5 3.0i 5dr

Link in photo.

This is a private sale.Please do not call us,contact the seller directly at : [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/volkswagen/eos/used-volkswagen-eos-2-0-tsi-individual-2dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270191215?logcode=p

£0 Volkswagen EOS 2.0 TSI Individual 2dr

Link in photo.

PRIVATE SALE-DO NOT CALL-if you have any questions please email the seller at [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/volkswagen/touareg/used-volkswagen-touareg-2-5-tdi-dpf-se-5dr-tip-auto-south-croydon-fpa-201311270191080?logcode=p

£0 Volkswagen Touareg 2.5 TDI DPF SE 5dr Tip Auto

Link in photo.

PRIVATE SALE-DO NOT CALL-if you have any questions please email the seller at [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/toyota/avensis/used-toyota-avensis-2-0-d-4d-t4-5dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270191189?logcode=p

£0 Toyota Avensis 2.0 D-4D T4 5dr

Link in photo.

PRIVATE SALE-DO NOT CALL-if you have any questions please email the seller at [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/audi/a5/used-audi-a5-3-0-tdi-quattro-sport-2dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270190825?logcode=p

Link in photo.

£0 Audi A5 3.0 TDI Quattro Sport 2dr

PRIVATE SALE-DO NOT CALL-if you have any questions please email the seller at [email protected]

I make that 36 detected so far, but I'd better check to make sure that I haven't missed any and then I'll widen my search to pick up more.

There is nothing new about this fraud as can be seen from this article in 2008.

http://www.parkers.co.uk/cars/advice/news/Archive/switzerland-car-buying-scam/

.. but it appears that the scale of fraud has increased exponentially since then judging by the amounts mentioned and the numbers being discovered by me and other scam researchers.

Interestingly it refers to "the Vehicle Safe Trading Advisory Group (VSTAG), an industry body set up to combat vehicle related fraud', an organisation of which I was unaware. I'll look into what they do and perhaps make contact.

Shop safely and cautiously, especially over the festive period, and bear in mind that many of these e-mail addresses have been associated with fraud by many different forums so a simple Google check is the first simple check (but not the last) to make when looking at any car offered for sale at a bargain price.

There's more.

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/volkswagen/golf/used-volkswagen-golf-1-6-tdi-105-bluemotion-se-5dr-start-stop-south-croydon-fpa-201311270191095?logcode=p

£0 Volkswagen Golf 1.6 TDi 105 BlueMotion SE 5dr [Start Stop]

Link in photo.

This is a private sale.Please do not call us,contact the seller directly at : [email protected]

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/used-cars/bmw/3-series/used-bmw-3-series-318i-m-sport-4dr-south-croydon-fpa-201311270190292?logcode=p

£0 BMW 3 SERIES 318i M Sport 4dr 2.0

Link in photo.

This is a private sale.Please do not call us,contact the seller directly at : [email protected]