Overly attractive vehicle prices on the Web: be careful, CAA-Quebec warns
In the last few weeks, CAA-Quebec has seen an upsurge in the number of used vehicles for sale on the Internet at prices well below real market value. These ads appear on certain popular sites and have drawn the attention of CAA-Quebec's Automobile Advisory Services experts, who now wish to alert interested consumers and save them a very nasty surprise.
When answering these ads, it was noticed that, for example, the advertisers' phone numbers may be missing or simply invalid. When contacted by e-mail, as a way of explaining their absence the sellers say they are travelling outside the country, but they still insist the transaction can be handled quickly through an intermediary. A sum of money is demanded as a deposit, often through websites specializing in this type of transaction. Caution is therefore the byword!
To determine if these were just a few isolated cases, CAA-Quebec repeated the experience several times and was able to ascertain that the same scheme is used for other published ads. "Several CAA-Quebec members have shown interest in these cheaply priced vehicles," says Sophie Gagnon, CAA-Quebec's Senior Director, Public and Government Relations. "Through our observations we hope to help prevent some of them from being tempted and investing money they might lose. This is why we want to issue a reminder today of certain basic rules in this matter."
Basic advice
The golden rule is never to send money to a seller without previously obtaining and validating the vehicle's serial number to ensure that it was not stolen or declared a total write-off. In addition, consumers should always be able to conduct a road test and have a chance to send the vehicle for a proper technical inspection before buying it or making a down payment. "It is all the more important to get the registration in person, because some advertisers may provide a serial number that is valid but for a vehicle that is not for sale and thus probably stolen," Ms. Gagnon notes.
Other signs
In addition to the fact that these ads may contain misleading contact information, they are online for a very short time, often just 24 to 48 hours. Moreover, photos of these vehicles may be touched up to make the car look more attractive and sometimes seem to have been taken in surroundings that look like the southern United States. Finally, CAA-Quebec encourages its members to contact its Automobile Advisory Services to check the validity of offers that interest them.
CAA-Quebec, a not-for-profit organization founded in 1904, provides automotive, travel, residential and financial services and privileges to its one million members.