TL;DR: Sellers on Autotrader face phishing texts and emails, canvassers promising buyers for a fee, deposit requests, overpayment tricks, fake overseas shipping fees and pressure to buy dodgy vehicle history checks. In July 2026, Warwickshire Trading Standards also warned of gangs posing as buyers who tamper with the engine mid-viewing to haggle the price down. Autotrader says it will never ask for your login details by email. Only hand over keys once money has cleared in your own bank account. Forward phishing to customersecurity@autotrader.co.uk.
The scams sellers face
Autotrader’s scam guide for sellers (updated July 2026) and its page on knowing your buyer describe these:
| Scam | How it works |
|---|---|
| Phishing and smishing | Texts or emails that look like Autotrader ask you to "verify" your account or log in through a link to a fake site |
| Canvassers | Callers say a buyer is waiting if you pay a fee to list elsewhere. Autotrader: they "just want your money" |
| Deposit requests | Texts or emails asking you to pay a deposit to secure a sale or an appointment |
| Overpayment | A "buyer" pays too much via PayPal, asks you to refund the difference another way, then cancels the original payment |
| Fake shipping fee | An "exporter" for an overseas buyer asks you to pay shipping or insurance up front, then vanishes |
| Fake history checks | A buyer insists you buy a vehicle history report from a website they choose, which steals your card details |
| Unsolicited buyers | Companies promising to buy your car or claiming to have buyers lined up |
Notice the pattern: in most of these, the seller ends up paying. If you’re selling a car and someone wants money from you, that’s the whole tell.
The "dirty oil" viewing scam
On 14 July 2026, Warwickshire Trading Standards warned about groups of three or more posing as buyers:
- They ask for a test drive and to look through the paperwork and service history.
- One distracts the seller while another opens the bonnet and tampers with electrical cables or pours oil over the engine or into the cooling system.
- The car won’t start, shows warning lights or seems to leak oil.
- They announce "serious faults" and push the price down, in some cases by thousands of pounds.
The council said older sellers may be targeted; in one case the victim was asked their age on the first call. Its advice is to sell from home or a busy place you know, have someone with you, and never leave the car unattended with "buyers". Councillor Robert Gisbourne’s summary: "Don’t let go of anything until the money is in your bank."
What Autotrader never does
Autotrader "will never ask you for your login details or other personal information in an email," and won’t ask you to verify your account by clicking a link. Log in only by typing the Autotrader address yourself.
Selling safely: the checklist
Before you list
- Use Autotrader’s free option to hide your phone number from buyers.
- Use a strong, unique password (ideas).
- Ignore unsolicited "we have a buyer" calls and never pay a fee or deposit to sell.
At the viewing
- Show the V5C logbook in person only. Autotrader warns never to send a photo of it, because the reference number can be misused.
- Have a friend or family member with you, and keep groups small.
- Check the car over before the buyer arrives, so you know its condition.
- Watch any "mechanic" the buyer brings.
On the test drive
- Check the buyer’s driving licence and confirm they’re insured.
- Go with them. Keep your keys, and keep the keyless fob with you.
Taking payment
- Autotrader describes bank transfer as fast and safe. Hand over the keys only when the money shows as cleared in your own banking app, not on a screenshot or email.
- If you take cash, meet at a bank so the notes can be checked.
- Autotrader’s overpayment example runs through PayPal, so stick to bank transfer.
- You never need to give your card number, security code or expiry date to receive a bank transfer.
- Refuse any request for up-front shipping or insurance fees.
After the sale
- Tell the DVLA you’ve sold the car straight away. See DVLA scams for the fake DVLA messages that follow.
If you’ve been caught
- Paid money or shared bank details? Call your bank now, or dial 159 to reach it securely.
- Report fraud to Report Fraud.
- Phishing emails: forward to report@phishing.gov.uk and to customersecurity@autotrader.co.uk.
- Scam texts: forward free to 7726.
- Autotrader’s Customer Security Team: 0330 303 9001. Autotrader says its specialist team works seven days a week.
- Engine tampering at a viewing: report it to Trading Standards through the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.
Related
See our marketplace scam rules and the Facebook van seller with 15 aliases. Car listings expose your phone number and often your area; a free email exposure check shows the breach side of your footprint.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Autotrader ask me to pay a deposit to sell my car?
No. Treat any request for a deposit to secure a sale or appointment as a scam, as Autotrader warns.
Does Autotrader email asking for login details?
No. Autotrader says it will never ask for your login details or other personal information in an email.
What is the dirty oil car scam?
Fake buyers distract the seller, tamper with the engine or pour oil on it, then claim the car is faulty to push the price down. Warwickshire Trading Standards warned about it in July 2026.
Should I send a buyer a photo of my V5C logbook?
No. Autotrader says to show it in person only, because the reference number can be misused.
How do I know a buyer has paid?
Check that the money has cleared in your own banking app before handing over keys. Screenshots and emails can be faked.
How do I report a fake Autotrader email?
Forward it to customersecurity@autotrader.co.uk and report@phishing.gov.uk, or call Autotrader’s Customer Security Team on 0330 303 9001.
Sources
- Autotrader: How to spot and avoid potential scams (updated July 2026)
- Autotrader: Why you should know who your buyer is
- Warwickshire County Council: Trading Standards warns of car buyer scam targeting private sellers (14 July 2026)
- Report Fraud (UK)