Gardaí at the Stolen Motor Vehicle Unit, National Bureau of Criminal Investigation wish to warn members of the public of the dangers of selling motor vehicles privately.
A FRAUDSTER is targeting individual sellers and buying their cars using counterfeit bank drafts. The vehicle is then immediately sold for cash, to innocent purchasers. The FRAUDSTER has posted adverts on the internet seeking ‘drivers’. The ‘drivers’ are instructed to collect the bogus ‘bank drafts’ (unaware of their status) at Hotel reception desks and go to the seller and buy his/her vehicle – paying by bank draft.
Other ‘drivers’ are instructed to collect the vehicles in Hotel car parks (the keys having been left at reception) and bring the vehicles to innocent purchasers who will have seen an advert on a car trading website advertising the said vehicle for sale. This purchaser will be instructed to pay cash for the vehicle. The ‘driver’ will collect the cash and then be instructed to bring it to a Hotel where it will be picked up by a 3rd party.
Gardaí wish to warn members of the public against the dangers of this scam and offer advice to legitimate buyers and sellers of cars.
Gardai at the Stolen Motor Vehicle Unit are investigating Telephone 01 666 3324
For video information on this scam please see
