During the COVID-19 lockdown, fraudsters have exploited the situation by flooding online auction sites with fraudulent listings for motorhomes and other vehicles. Thousands of fake advertisements have appeared on platforms like eBay, Gumtree, and AutoTrader, deceiving many buyers into parting with their money for vehicles they never see. One such fraudulent motorhome listing has been viewed 45,000 times, highlighting the scale of the issue. The UK's National Cyber Security Centre took down more than 2,000 online coronavirus scams last month, yet the problem persists.
Fraudsters have strategically used the lockdown to make false assurances to potential buyers, knowing that restrictions prevent in-person inspections. This tactic has proven effective in tricking individuals into handing over cash. As Jack Buster, an investigator behind an anti-fraud group, explained, “Normally they find a hundred reasons why you can’t come and see the vehicle but they don’t have to right now, for obvious reasons.”
The demand for camper vans has surged as families seek safe ways to enjoy summer breaks amid the pandemic. However, this increase in interest has made buyers more vulnerable to scams. Jack Buster noted that criminals are capitalizing on this demand:
“Criminals have realised that there is big demand from people stuck at home looking at buying motorhomes to be used when we are allowed out again.”
One victim of these scams is Simon Barker, who lost £5,000 after being lured by a seemingly legitimate listing on eBay. Barker communicated with a supposed seller named Nathan Edgar Wright, who assured him that using Paypal’s pay after delivery service would provide protection. Yet, after transferring the funds based on what appeared to be a convincing setup, Barker realized he had been duped.
“He then tried and failed to send me a Paypal invoice, at which point I was seemingly contacted by a representative from Paypal via a live chat window. It certainly looked very convincing,” Barker recounted.
“He gave me a reference and a bank account number to transfer funds to. The seller had even sent me what he said was a scan of his passport photo page as ID. Of course the delivery never happened, and I now realise I have been scammed.”
The situation highlights the sophistication of these scams. Individuals seeking high-end sports cars, saloons, motorhomes, and even JCBs have fallen prey to these fraudulent schemes. Jack Buster emphasized the organized nature of these criminals:
“These are organised criminals doing this on an industrial scale, and they are very good at it. People buying high-end sports cars, saloons, motorhomes and even JCBs have all fallen for these scams that target eBay, Gumtree and AutoTrader. The vehicles are always advertised at attractive prices to lure people into thinking they are getting a bargain.”
Despite eBay’s significant investment in dedicated fraud prevention teams, fake listings continue to surface. An investigator noted the unprecedented number of fraudulent vehicle listings appearing on eBay and other sites in such a short span of time. Simon Barker later discovered that the listing he responded to had appeared on eBay before.
“Further investigation since has revealed that the listing I replied to has appeared on eBay before,” Barker stated.
Jack Buster implores potential buyers to exercise caution:
“I’d implore anyone who has been talking to a supposed seller in recent days to stop, and under no circumstances send them any money.”