| Media item | |
| | Second-hand trouble | Herald Sun,
Melbourne
by Geoff Gwilym Vacc Ceo
| 15 Sep 2023 | | General News - Page 53 - 288 words - ID 1930752792 - Photo: Yes - Type: Advertorial - Size: 221.00cm2 | |
ADVERTISING FEATURE
I recently read of an international student in Western Australia who purchased a second-hand car from Facebook Marketplace, which police later seized because it was stolen property.
Students do it tough enough without this happening.
Although the student appeared to take due diligence, sadly, the experience cost him $6500 when, five days after the purchase, police o?cers knocked on his door asking for the keys.
Apparently, the student bought the car from a seller who purchased the car from the thief who stole it 24 hours earlier.
Now, I continue to feel sorry for the poor student who bought the car - to use as an Uber vehicle to support his studies in Australia but this is an all-too-familiar story.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has almost 800 second-hand car scams on record and, unfortunately, that number will grow.
Online buy and sell platforms serve many purposes for the public, but when looking for a vehicle bargain on these sites I still urge buyers to check if the person selling the vehicle is a Licenced Motor Car Trader.
If you still want to buy a car, motorcycle or scooter on the cheap on these platforms, check the seller's profile and find out if it's real. If in doubt, stay away.
Even if you're satisfied the seller looks honest, use a payment system like Paypal, which has inbuilt security. Don't pay by EFT or with cash.
By far the best way to buy a second-hand vehicle is to use a Licenced Motor Car Trader. They have to check for clear title before they sell a vehicle, and that's just one of many benefits of buying from an LMCT.
Prepared by Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce
Provided for client's internal research purposes only. May not be further copied, distributed, sold or published in any form without the prior consent of the copyright owner. |
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