Buying A Stolen Car

Bianca_R

Hi

I'm seeking advice as I was conned out of £5000.00 buying a stolen car despite doing numerous checks online.

Basically I saw the advert for the car on autotrader.co.uk and arraged to go for a viewing which I did. After seeing the car I went home to start my research and done a HPI check through a link on the autotrader website. The checks came back fine with no outstanding issues with the vehicle so I decided to buy the car.

After a few weeks of waiting for the DVLA to send a logbook I decided to call them and was told these things can take some time and that there was quite a large backlog. I continued to wait and a few months later was contacted by the DVLA saying that there were some discrepancies with the car and that an inspector would be sent to view the car. A few more weeks later an insepctor came to see the car and informed me that the car was actually a stolen vehicle as the chassis number had been tampered with. He left me with the car and said the office would be in touch.

After a week no-one had been in touch so I carried on using the car I had paid for. Another few weeks later I was stopped by the police who informed me that the car was registered to a man in Norhtern England. They ran their roadside checks and took the car away from me. I explained everything about buying the car and was told they'd investigate.

It turns out the advert for the car I'd seen was copied and pasted from another advert on the same website only 2 days after the original ad was posed. The ad I viewed was for less money and in a different location. Surely this is something autotrader should be held responsible for although they claim they are not. Shouldn't they have been aware that a car was for sale on their website twice with completely different price tags and locations.

I've also tried to claim from the website I used to run a HPI check on the car. However they claim not to be responsible either as they information they gave me was correct based on the legitimate vehicle not the cloned one. They informed me that my own insurance company (Direct Line) should be liable. However again I was told there was nothing they could do as the car was never actually registered to me and refuse to pay out. They also added that had I of crashed the car beforehand they would have then paid out. Unbelievable!

The police report came to nothing, they said they couldn't trace the guy I bought the car from and the car was returned to the original owner's insurance company as they had already paid out for the car. The final kick in the teeth came when the insurance company who now had the car offered me to buy it back for the same price I bought it for in the first place. What a joke. Surely these insurance companies are covered for situations like this. Me losing £5000.00 of my hard earned money is a far greater deal than an insurance company losing out on what is considered loose change.

Now I am without a car and very out of pocket. Does anyone have any advice on how to resolve this or should I just count my losses?

Thanks

Hintza

Bianca not too much advice I can give except that Autotrader will not be liable. They just host the advert.


Hopefully someone with a bit more knowledge will be along soon. But don't hold your breath. Can you do any detective work and track the seller down?

Good luck.

Armengar

Unfortunately the insurance company and HPI are correct although I surprised they would even cover you in the event of a crash. It is true that you would never have owned the car with that particular details as the registration was false, no doubt the VIN was false and I guess you didnt check the engine number (which is harder to stamp and most people dont bother).

HPI would show that the car registration hadnt been listed as financed or stolen which is correct. But should have given the VIN and engine number. I guess one of these would have been wrong. If all three where correct according to the V5 then was the registered keepers address forged on the V5?

If the V5 was forged, VIN, engine, plates were all forged then its a well run criminal organisation and there is little you can do against this - other than buy on a credit card. Its a shame the HPI check doesnt tell you the correct registered keepers address - you can always insist the purchase happens at this address which would cut down on these things happening.

BenL

I've read about cases in the papers and car magazines that HPI can be pressured into paying out and they do "goodwill" gestures when pushed with negative press reports.

This sort of thing is what you like a lot of other people would expect a HPI check to cover.

Premier_2

Bianca_R wrote: »

Hi

I'm seeking advice as I was conned out of £5000.00 buying a stolen car despite doing numerous checks online.

Basically I saw the advert for the car on autotrader.co.uk and arraged to go for a viewing which I did. ...

...A few more weeks later an insepctor came to see the car and informed me that the car was actually a stolen vehicle as the chassis number had been tampered with....

...The police report came to nothing, they said they couldn't trace the guy I bought the car from ...

Why do you need the police to trace the seller?
Don't you know who you bought it off?
How did you pay the £5000 purchase price? Cash?

Where did you originally view the vehicle? Where did you eventually collect it from? At the sellers home or business address, or did they always arrange to meet you at some remote layby in the middle of nowhere?

Armengar

BenL wrote: »

I've read about cases in the papers and car magazines that HPI can be pressured into paying out and they do "goodwill" gestures when pushed with negative press reports.

This sort of thing is what you like a lot of other people would expect a HPI check to cover.

How can a HPI cover a cloned car? They give all the details I would expect *apart* from the registered keepers address which is one of the most useful (IMHO). Sure a HPI can cover a stolen car as it will be listed as such but cloned puts the onus on the buyer to check that the details given in the HPI are correct on the car.

I know this is sounding negative of me - I dont mean to be - im just saying it how it is. IMO the only comebacks you have is either credit card if you paid on it or track the seller down and go through court to reclaim money.

Bowdyjan18

Looks like your going to be 5 k down

mrposhman

Premier wrote: »

Why do you need the police to trace the seller?
Don't you know who you bought it off?
How did you pay the £5000 purchase price? Cash?

Where did you originally view the vehicle? Where did you eventually collect it from? At the sellers home or business address, or did they always arrange to meet you at some remote layby in the middle of nowhere?

Exactly what I was going to put. I would have been suspicious of anyone who doesn't give out a postcode for their house. Did you see the original V5 document that the "seller" held?

LinasPilibaitisisbatman

Everyone is spot on I am afraid. It will be yourself who loses the 5k.

The insurence company were being reasonable in offering it back to you for sale also.

The police are your only recourse then the civil courts but if you bought it in a back alley and have no way of tracing the seller then you may as well give up now

Chippy_Minton_2

English law states you can't buy a stolen car, so yes you are five grand down.

CandleFan

Might be an idea to get independent legal advice, just in case there's anything you can do. Which legal service are good & cheap, ( you'd need to join) but pays to get opinions from at least 2 of their lawyers as can be subtle differences in their knowledge.