Classic Car Scams: How to Buy and Sell Safely

Classic cars attract scammers. Buyers often travel a long way, pay large sums and want one particular car, which makes them easier to rush. I spent my working life in cyber security, and the same tricks I saw there turn up in car adverts: urgency, a story that explains why you cannot see the car, and a request to pay before you have checked anything.

The habits that protect you from scams elsewhere apply here too. The Staying safe section covers them in more detail.

Never pay for a car you have not seen

Fraudsters advertise cars that do not exist, or that are not theirs to sell. They press for money before a viewing, often with an excuse for why you cannot see the car, and often keep contact to email only.

• Do not transfer money in advance.
• View the car in person and inspect it before paying anything.

Fake holding accounts and payment schemes

Action Fraud warned of fake "holding accounts". Emails, made to look as if they come from a well-known payment company, claim your money will be held safely for a week while you decide. The company named did not offer such accounts.

• Treat any holding, escrow or courier payment arrangement suggested by the seller with suspicion.
• Check who the email really comes from.
• Search the seller's phone number and email address online.

Deposit scams

Requests for a deposit to hold a car, or for upfront transport fees, can be a sign of a scam. If you do pay a deposit, pay no more than you could afford to lose, and get the seller's written agreement that it is refundable if you do not buy.

Cloned cars and stolen logbooks

A cloned car is usually a stolen car given the identity of a genuine car of the same make, model and colour, often with a stolen or fake V5C logbook. Clones are often advertised below the going rate.

• Check that the VIN on the car matches the V5C, and that the VINs on the car match each other.
• View the car at the keeper's address shown on the V5C, not in a lay-by or car park.
• Be wary if the seller says the logbook is lost.
• Buy your own vehicle history check rather than relying on one the seller provides. It shows if the car is recorded as stolen, written off or has outstanding finance.
• Check the DVLA's advice on spotting a genuine V5C.

Check the history and the mileage

Review the service history and receipts. Use the free government MOT history service to check the recorded mileage against the odometer.

Cars built over 40 years ago may be MOT exempt, so the record may stop. The classic car tax and MOT exemption guide explains why.

If it looks too cheap, ask why

Compare the car with similar ones for sale. A price well below the others is a common lure. For the wider checks, see buying a classic car and buying a classic car at auction.

When you are the seller

• Meet buyers at home, not at the roadside.
• Ask for their name, address and proof of identity, such as a driving licence.
• On test drives, check their licence and insurance, go with them and keep the keys. Keep keyless fobs on you.
• Do not release the car until the money has cleared in your account. Check with your bank rather than trusting a screenshot or a payment app message.
• Let buyers read the V5C, service history and MOT certificates, but never let anyone photograph or copy them.

How to report a scam

• If you have lost money, report it to Report Fraud, which replaced Action Fraud in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on 4 December 2025, at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040.
• Forward scam texts, free, to 7726.
• Forward suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
• Call 159 to reach your bank's fraud team.
• In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.

More on this site: how to spot deepfake scams and Staying safe.

Sources: Get Safe Online: buying and selling vehicles; Action Fraud: fake holding accounts warning; GOV.UK: check MOT history.

Checked 19 October 2026

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