Scammers are using a new way to defraud used car sellers. They do this by pouring oil into the coolant so that they have to pay less for the car.
The Belgian newspaper Newspaper enters Stefan, a resident of Roeselaere, who was approached by potential buyers after putting his Mercedes-Benz Vito up for sale. It had driven 240,000 kilometers. The interested buyers quickly transferred a deposit, after which they made an appointment for a viewing and the transfer.
Around the block
During the transfer, the seller went to get the papers and spare keys, while the buyers stayed behind with the car. Among other things, they opened the hood and wanted to take the car for a short walk around the block. “Because the car was technically in order and had always been maintained on time in a Mercedes garage, I didn’t think that was a problem,” says Stefan. “But then it suddenly turned out to be a problem with the engine.”
Threats
It turned out that oil was leaking into the expansion tank of the radiator and this problem threatened to cost the new owner thousands of euros. “A discussion then arose and threats were also made, because I supposedly wanted to sell a car that was technically not in order and I had tried to conceal the problem,” says Stefan. “In the end, after a long discussion, I gave in and deducted about 10,000 euros from the prize.”
It was only the next day that the Nieuwsblad reader became aware of the deception when he saw on camera images that the two buyers poured liquid into the radiator themselves. Presumably the scammers removed the oil fairly quickly, after which the ‘problem’ was solved. The seller has contacted the police, but the chances of him winning a possible lawsuit seem slim.
More people fall victim to the same trick
Stefan says he mainly wants to warn others with his story, so that the scammers do not make more victims. According to the Belgian police, this fraud case is not unique. Including in various places in Belgian Limburg in the past Second-hand car sellers have become victims in the same way. As far as we know, no sellers in the Netherlands have yet fallen for this trick.
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2023-09-16 04:15:15
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