UK used car fraud costs buyers over £1 billion per year. Here are the 10 most common scams, how to spot them, and the one check that protects you from most of them.
Full MOT history, mileage check, health score, running costs. No signup needed.
| Scam Type | Free Check | Premium Check (£4.99) |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding finance | ✗ | ✓ |
| Mileage clocking | ✓ | ✓ |
| Undisclosed write-off | ✗ | ✓ |
| Stolen vehicle | ✗ | ✓ |
| Cut and shut (VIN mismatch) | ✗ | ✓ |
| Fake service history | ✓ (mileage cross-ref) | ✓ |
| Misrepresented spec | ✓ | ✓ |
| Outstanding recalls | ✓ | ✓ |
Short answer: The vast majority of used car scams in the UK can be caught with a single £4.99 car history check. Enter any reg plate on CarCostCheck for a free check covering MOT history, mileage, and reliability. The premium report adds finance, stolen, and write-off checks. Together, these protect you from the most expensive scams: finance fraud, clocking, undisclosed write-offs, and stolen vehicles.
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The seller owes money on a PCP, HP, or secured loan. They sell the car and pocket the cash, leaving the finance unpaid. The finance company repossesses the car from you. This is the most common and most expensive scam, affecting an estimated 1 in 3 used cars.
How to avoid it: Run the £4.99 premium check on CarCostCheck. It queries the Experian database for any finance registered against the vehicle.
The odometer is wound back to show fewer miles, inflating the car's value. An estimated 2.5 million clocked cars are on UK roads. The tools to clock a digital odometer cost under £30 and the process takes minutes.
How to avoid it: The free CarCostCheck report plots every MOT mileage reading on a timeline. Any drop in mileage between tests is definitive proof of clocking.
The car was previously written off by an insurance company after an accident. It has been repaired and relisted without disclosing the write-off history. You pay clean-car prices for a vehicle worth 20-50% less.
How to avoid it: The £4.99 premium check shows the full write-off history including the exact category (A, B, N, or S).
The car has been stolen and is being sold with cloned or altered identity. If the police trace the vehicle, they will seize it. You lose both the car and your money with no compensation.
How to avoid it: The £4.99 premium check queries the Police National Computer for theft records.
The seller asks for a deposit to "hold" the car before you view it. The listing may use stolen photos of a real car that the scammer does not own. Once the deposit is sent, the seller disappears.
How to avoid it: Never pay a deposit before viewing a car in person. No legitimate seller needs a deposit from someone who is coming to view the car.
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Two written-off cars are welded together to create one apparently complete vehicle. The weld points are structural weaknesses that can fail in a collision. This is rare but extremely dangerous.
How to avoid it: Check the VIN matches across all plates on the car (dashboard, door frame, engine bay). The premium check verifies the VIN against DVLA records. A professional inspection can identify weld points.
The seller provides a forged service book with fake stamps to make the car appear well-maintained. The car may have missed critical services (timing belt, major service) that lead to expensive failures.
How to avoid it: Cross-reference the service book mileage entries with the MOT mileage readings on CarCostCheck. Inconsistencies suggest tampering. Call the garages stamped in the book to verify the work was done.
A car dealer sells through private listings to avoid giving buyer protections under the Consumer Rights Act. They typically sell multiple cars but present each as a personal sale.
How to avoid it: Search the seller's phone number and name online. If they appear in multiple listings for different cars, they are likely a dealer. Check the V5C to see how long they have owned the car. Frequent keeper changes can indicate a trade seller.
The car is described as a higher specification than it actually is. "Full leather" that is actually half-leather, "panoramic roof" that is a standard sunroof, or an engine size that does not match the listing.
How to avoid it: The free CarCostCheck report shows the car's actual specification as recorded by the DVLA, including engine size, fuel type, and body type. Compare this with the listing claims.
The car has an open safety recall that the seller has not addressed. While not always fraudulent, this can be a safety issue and a negotiation point.
How to avoid it: The free CarCostCheck report checks the DVSA database for outstanding recalls on the specific vehicle.
The free check catches 3 of 10 scams. The £4.99 premium check catches 8 of 10. The only scams it cannot detect are deposit fraud (do not pay deposits) and curbing (research the seller independently). For £4.99, that is the best protection available.
Enter any reg below for a free MOT history, mileage check, and running costs. Takes 5 seconds, no signup.
Data from DVSA and DVLA. Used by thousands of UK car buyers.
CarCostCheck is not just a cheaper version of HPI. It is a fundamentally better product that happens to cost 75% less. Here is what you get that HPI does not offer at any price:
The premium history check (£4.99) uses the same Experian database as HPI, AA, and RAC. You get identical stolen, finance, and write-off data. The complete bundle (history + valuation) is £6.99, still 65% cheaper than HPI's basic check.
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12 checks included free. Premium stolen, finance, and write-off checks for just £4.99. Market valuation from £2.99.
Enter any reg plate for a free MOT history, mileage check, health score, and running costs. No signup needed.
Used by thousands of UK car buyers. Data from DVSA and DVLA.
Example report preview
2019 Ford Fiesta
1.0 EcoBoost, Petrol, Manual
82
Grade A
£2,450
per year
Pass
MOT status
42k
Mileage
This is what you'll see. Try it with YOUR car:
12 free checks included. Premium history from £4.99. Valuation from £2.99.