Caveat Emptor!

On 27th February, we purchased our year 2000 A/S legend from a private seller in the north of England.

Anyone who has bought a used vehicle knows there is an inevitable delay between doing the deal and receiving the 'log book' from the DVLA.  However, just to try to speed up the process, on 11th march I phoned the DVLA.  I was told that the van was not yet in my name, and because of 'data protection', she could not tell me the name on the records...not even to confirm it, if I told her the name of the person in whose name it should be.  Meanwhile the van is happily ensconced in our drive at the side of the house.

As I was suffering from a chest infection, I happened to be up most of the following night , and  between bouts of coughing, I was browsing the internet.  Imagine my astonishment when I stumbled upon a "Gum Tree" advert, showing a photo of our newly acquired A/S Legend, parked outside the home of the people we had so recently bought it from (We recognised it, as we had slept the night in the van there, only twelve days before!)....though the advert claimed the the van was for sale privately, at half the price we had paid for it, and in the South West of England!  

Apart from the ridiculously low price and the change of address, every other detail was exactly copied from the advert for which the vendor had paid for...It was a weird feeling seeing photos of our own van, exterior and interior, including the number plate, clearly identifying it!    

I immediately alerted gumtree to the fact that the advert was a fraud... and was slightly pacified by an automatic reply.... And then we waited patiently until it was a respectable hour of the morning to phone the vendor!... After all, he has the money, and we have the vehicle....  .....But there was always that niggling doubt that somebody might have intercepted the log book between him and the DVLA!

Fair play to gumtree, they very quickly gave me a reference number, and I had noted the reference number of the advert.  My hands were tied, though, as the van was not yet registered in my name.

The vendor was as horrified as ourselves.    I gave him all the details and he then contacted the DVLA... only to be told that the van was not registered in his name, and that they couldn't tell him the name of the new keeper because of data protection!  

So now we were all worried that a third party might have stolen our log book.

Armed with all my reference numbers, he telephoned Gumtree who confirmed that the fake advert had been removed, and the person involved would be investigated as it was fraudulent.

Happily, when I then phoned the DVLA, it was confirmed that the van was now registered in my name!  Phew!

I am at a loss to understand what the fake advertiser stood to gain by paying to advertise a vehicle that he could not produce... but there must be some gain for him?     Otherwise why go to the trouble of doing it?

What is interesting is the ridiculously low price being asked for the vehicle (half the going rate)... Surely any serious buyer would smell a rat?

But what amazing serendipity that I came across that advert... Probably only two people could have recognised it for the fraud it was... the vendor and myself!

It is precisely for such reasons that I started the thread

https://www.autosleeper-ownersforum.com/t946-warning-to-members-regarding-ebay-scams

which has now reached 20 pages. It is not just Ebay, or Gumtree that are full of such scam adverts but there are loads on the Caravan Club classifieds plus local free papers and Autotrader etc etc.

Everyone loves a bargain and if anyone is daft enough to believe 'I'm working on an oil-rig and can't be at home for you to view, so once you've paid I'll arrange delivery' or 'I'm in the middle of a divorce and the vans in Spain and I'll ship it over at my expense' or any other reason for the 'quick sale required', then they will be ripped off.
Standard thinking - 'if it seems too good to be true, it probably is'

How incredibly stressful that must have been Swansea Jac and I am so pleased for you that it has worked out ok   

Hopefully you can now get out and about and enjoy this weather  

Hi , Not sure from your post. However never buy without seeing the logbook and verifying details with the vehicle details.You keep a part.
You also need to do a paid vehicle check.
I also like to see the owners receipt for purchase.
Not infailable but there are many con men out there,so the more checks the merrier.  

regards

mike