Motorists Duped By Cloned Sites: How To Avoid The Car Parts Scam

Drivers hunting a bargain online are being warned astir a surge successful bogus listings for second-hand car parts, pinch Spain’s authorised scrapyards reporting an organised fraud now nether investigation by nan Guardia Civil.

Sector sources opportunity astir victims are backstage buyers who spot a “too bully to beryllium true” value connected resale platforms and ne'er spot nan part—or their money—again.

Three online ruses catching motorists out

Scrapyard owners — officially Centros Autorizados de Tratamiento (CATs) — opportunity scammers are operating chiefly connected peer-to-peer sites specified arsenic Wallapop and Milanuncios. The schemes vary, but nan playbook is familiar:

1) “Private seller” parts
Listings look from individuals offering engines, gearboxes aliases ECUs arsenic if they were trading their ain spares. Only licensed CATs tin dismantle and marketplace parts from end-of-life vehicles nether Spanish law, truthful thing shipped privately whitethorn beryllium of chartless root (stolen, defective aliases unsafe) and comes without warranty aliases paperwork.

2) Stolen photos, clone invoices
Fraudsters assistance images and matter from genuine breakers’ websites, impersonate nan business successful emails, WhatsApp aliases SMS, past nonstop a forged pro-forma invoice base nan yard’s name, VAT and address. Payment goes to an unrelated account; nan portion ne'er arrives. Losses reported to yards scope from €700 to €3,200. Javier Goñi, of Desguaces y Recuperaciones Valdizarbe, says nan assemblage has many times asked platforms to require a CAT licence for sellers of car parts. “Without verification, unauthorised sellers — and outright scammers — run freely,” he warns.

3) Full website clones
The astir blase version replicates an full breaker’s tract — logo, banal pages, moreover unrecorded chat. Buyers are funnelled to clone numbers and costs links that look convincing. As pinch nan invoice ploy, nan costs vanish and nan “company” goes dark. By nan clip platforms region nan listings, slope accounts (often opened pinch stolen IDs aliases successful nan sanction of susceptible people) are closed and nan way has gone cold.

Authorities opportunity complaints person been revenge and Guardia Civil has ongoing inquiries. Platforms region fraudulent profiles erstwhile flagged, but sellers often resurface nether caller identities.

How to bargain utilized parts successful Spain safely (and legally)

Stick to licensed CATs

Search Spain’s charismatic web of CATs and bargain directly. A morganatic gait will supply an itemised invoice, VAT number (NIF), address, returns argumentation and portion warranty.

Verify nan business earlier you pay.

– Cross-check nan telephone and IBAN against nan numbers connected nan yard’s charismatic website aliases connected Spain’s business registry.
– Call nan switchboard yourself (don’t spot nan number successful a connection thread).
– Ask for photos showing nan part’s banal label/markings and nan philanthropist vehicle’s reference (model, year, VIN fragment).
– If you’re utilizing a marketplace, insist connected on-platform costs pinch purchaser protection; debar slope transfers to individual accounts.

Be sceptical of “unbelievable” prices

Big-ticket items (engines, gearboxes, catalytic converters, physics modules) seldom waste astatine a fraction of nan marketplace rate. If it’s acold cheaper than aggregate quotes, there’s a reason.

Know your rights.

Authorised recyclers must springiness a written guarantee (typically 3–6 months connected mechanical assemblies) and rumor a due invoice. Private “dismantlers” cannot legally waste parts from written-off cars.

What to do if you’ve been caught out

Act fast.
– Contact your slope instantly to effort a callback and emblem nan relationship arsenic fraudulent.
– Report nan lawsuit to nan Guardia Civil (Grupo de Delitos Telemáticos) aliases your section Policía; support screenshots, adverts, chats, invoices and nan costs receipt.
– Notify nan existent breaker whose personality was cloned — your grounds helps their takedown request.
– File a title pinch nan level hosting nan advert truthful nan floor plan is suspended and others are warned.

Red flags to remember

• Pressure to salary by transportation to a individual IBAN ‘to vessel today’.
• Email domains that don’t lucifer nan institution website.
• WhatsApp-only contact, nary landline aliases beingness reside you tin verify.
• Refusal to supply an invoice aliases warranty position up of payment.
• Stock photos aliases images watermarked by different company.

Recycled car parts tin prevention you superior money – but only erstwhile they travel from an authorised CAT pinch traceable paperwork and a warranty. Buy direct, verify everything that moves, and ne'er ligament costs to a stranger. If nan value looks magical, dainty it arsenic fiction.

Stay tuned pinch Euro Weekly News for more news from Spain