As used-car demand continues online car listing scams soar, says ACCC
The strength of the second-hand car market, boosted by the impact of the global pandemic in 2020, has translated into a higher number of Australians being ripped-off by vehicle scams in the first quarter of 2021.
A reported $288,000 has been lost to fake online listings in Q1 according to Scamwatch, higher than the entire amount reported during the 2019 calendar year.
According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), most of the reports came from scammers posting fake listings for in-demand cars, listing them below market value, and seeking payment in advance. Sites that these scams frequently popped up on include Facebook Marketplace, Autotrader, Carsales, CarsGuide and Gumtree.
