Protecting yourself as a car seller.

It is an unfortunate fact that fraud exists in todays society and never more so when people are looking to buy and sell items. The key is minimising risk and using common sense for which there is no replacement whatever you do. Here at CountryCars we strive to operate a safe and secure medium to sell your vehicle and part of this is providing you the seller with information to educate yourself on what to watch out for.

The old adage stands true. "If it seems to good too be true, it usually is".

Scams to watch out for!

In recent times, more and more people are trying to scam car sellers. Don’t let this deter you, just make sure you protect yourself by being aware of the main scams that are around.

SMS

In most cases, someone disguising themselves as a potential buyer will send you an SMS saying that they are interested in your vehicle and to contact them on their email address. The reason they contact you by SMS is that it takes our checking systems out of the equation as it goes via the mobile network not us. This is the lead stage into another one of the scam types listed below. If you receive a text message like this ignore it.

Cashier / Certified Cheques

In most cases, someone disguising themselves as a potential buyer will send you an email (the majority are from overseas). They propose that they pay for the car via a cashier or certified cheque in an amount that is higher than what you are asking for. They generally say this is because they need to pay for the shipping costs, customs fees.

They will then ask you to transfer the difference (either to them or the shipping company using companies such as Western Union). Never transfer money in this situation.

The Middleman

This scam involves someone acting on behalf of a buyer. They propose that they collect the money on behalf of the buyer, then they wait until the buyer collects and approves the goods before sending the money to the seller.
If you find yourself in this position, ensure that you check that the company is licensed and has a good reputation. If you can’t verify this, then do not proceed with the sale.

Paypal

This scam is part of the scams above and another warning sign to watch out for. PayPal itself is secure and safe. The issue is a potential buyer will ask for your PayPal account details and email address and say they are transferring the money into your account. They will then send a dummy receipt with PayPal logos and your account information on it so you think they have paid the money. What they then do is say that the shipping agent or delivery company do not accept payment by PayPal, which is the only way they can pay. They will send you another PayPal receipt showing they have paid the shipping fees into your PayPal account and ask you to then send them cash to cover the extra they have paid for. The PayPal receipts are bogus, there is no money in your PayPal account and the money you send them will never been seen again.

Phishing Emails

Phishing is an illegal practice that involves sending out fraudulent emails to large groups of random people in the hope that they will recognise the name of the company mentioned in the email and believe that it is a genuine email and then respond to it.

It has been brought to our attention that some phishing emails have been sent out regarding CountryCars.com.au and CountryShed.com.au. Fraudulent emails have been distributed that appear to be sent from Countrycars.com.au or CountryShed.com.au to attempt to trick you into providing your personal information.

One email states that there have been changes to our privacy policy and asks you to review it while it attempts to capture your personal details.

Please note that CountryCars.com.au, CountryShed.com.au and Fairfax Media never request personal information or credit card details via email. You should be wary of suspicious emails claiming to offer Fairfax Digital services. Do not click on any links, open attachments or enter any personal information - we do NOT send emails of this nature.

If you are unsure about an email that you have received, please contact us at support@countrycars.com.au

Payment

Both CountryCars.com.au and CountryShed.com.au displays advertising for motor vehicles, tractors, boats, caravans and numerous other items and we are not involved in the sales transaction for the vehicles. CountryCars.com.au, CountryShed.com.au and Fairfax Media do not issue invoices or other paperwork for motor vehicles advertised on our website and we will NEVER request or hold money on behalf of any seller or dealer. All monetary transactions should be conducted directly with the seller or the dealer. Please be wary of suspicious claims by sellers to obtain money (in any form) from potential buyers.

Do not send money to a seller prior to the exchanging of the vehicle - all monetary transactions should be carried out directly with the seller or the dealer once the sale is finalised. CountryCars.com.au, CountryShed.com.au and Fairfax Media do not take any responsibility for money deposited or transferred by buyers or any financial transactions between buyers and sellers.

If you ever have any concerns regarding your transactions, it is safer to ask us first.

If you receive a suspicious claim asking for money, please let us know immediately and do not engage in any further correspondence with the seller.