Car expert reveals five red flags to avoid getting scammed – including tip to spot CLONED motor

A CAR expert has shared five red flags potential buyers should look out for when looking to pick up a used motor – including a telltale sign the set of wheels they’re keen on might be CLONED.

As many drivers will know, finding a cheap used car is a tricky task – especially if you opt to cut the cost further by looking on social media sites or buying from a private seller.

In fact, according to a motoring guru, private buyers run the risk of being scammed by untrustworthy sellers simply because these types of sales aren’t covered by consumer protection laws.

Thankfully, Darren Miller of Big Motoring World has revealed five second hand car traps buyers could fall into, how to spot them, and how to avoid them.

Buying a non-existent car

It might seem hard to believe, but some sellers are able to convince buyers to throw their hard-earned cash at a motor they’ve never even seen and doesn’t exist.

It can happen to anyone, especially with numerous fake car adverts listed online.

One simple tip is that if the advert lists the motor you’re looking at for much lower than expected price, then there’s a chance there’s something wrong with the deal – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

The car experts say that potential buyers should never allow themselves to be pressured into agreeing to a sale or parting with cash up front.

They also say to always insist on seeing the motor at the person’s home address and test drive it if possible – instead of buying a car from just a picture from a social media.

Buying a faulty or damaged car

Not all cars are as they seem, and some sellers will hide problems or fail to disclose certain info – including if the vehicle was a write-off.

That’s where a simple HPI check comes in, which is a comprehensive test that can reveal a car’s details and history, including any previous accidents, its correct mileage, and even if the car might be registered as stolen.

Any good dealership should be able to reveal a vehicle history, but it can be less secure when buying from a private seller, so you should run a HPI check yourself.

Buying a clocked car

A car’s mileage is one of the biggest selling points, simply because a lower mileage typically means dealers can ask for a higher price on the second-hand market.

But with a clocked car, the displayed mileage is manipulated and rolled back to falsely increase the value of the car.

Modern technology has made this alteration more difficult to spot, but there are warning signs you can look out for.

Firstly, checking the mileage on old MOT certificates and the service history can help you determine if the current value is realistic.

You can also look out for signs of use around the car, which you wouldn’t expect on a car with a low mileage – for example, while doing an interior check if the steering wheel is peeling or the pedals are worn

Buying a cloned car

Cloning is when a criminal copies the identity of another vehicle by stealing or duplicating the registration plate and its vehicle identification number.

And in some cases, you might not notice you bought a cloned car until you get letters for parking or speeding offences you didn’t commit.

To avoid becoming a victim, make sure to compare the number plates on the motor with the details in the logbook.

Also, the experts say to look out for any inconsistencies in the font, colour or spacing of the number plate – as they can be an indicator that it has been cloned.

Buying a stolen car

Buying a stolen car is perhaps the greatest worry when going to a private seller.

Firstly, a potential buyer should get the vehicle’s reg number, car make, model and MOT test number, and the V5C vehicle registration certificate or log book.

Then, it’s simply a case of entering the information onto the government website to check whether the car you want to buy has been reported as stolen.

In addition, you can run the car’s registration number past the Police National Database.

This comes as shocking footage has emerged of thieves stealing a Mercedes from a driveway in the middle of the night after coming to view the car earlier the same day.

Elsewhere, fed up locals say a multi-million pound cycle lane has “killed their village” as it has made “parking impossible”.