Buying a vehicle
Cars are one of the highest-fraud categories in the UK — high value, easy to misrepresent, often paid by bank transfer.
What's the registration?
We'll pull the DVLA record so you can confirm the car.
In 2025, over £1.2 billion was stolen by fraudsters in the UK. Verify before you pay.
What we check
5 checks across the UK's most-trusted data sources, run in under 30 seconds.
Confirmation of Payee
Bank account matches the payee name
Companies House
Company registered & active
VAT verification
VAT number valid
DVLA Vehicle Check
Make, year, tax & MOT status
Seller Reviews
Reputation on Google, Trustpilot & more
Whether you're buying privately or through a dealer, you should verify the vehicle (DVLA history, MOT, tax) and the payee (bank account in the right name, no unexpected detours).
Tips before you transfer
Check the DVLA record
Confirm make, year, MOT status, and tax. Mismatches between the listing and DVLA are the most common deception.
Run a Confirmation of Payee check
The seller's bank account name should match the person you've been dealing with. Money-mule accounts are a hallmark of vehicle scams.
Match the V5C to the seller and address
If the V5C registered keeper isn't the person selling — or the address doesn't match where you're viewing — be very cautious.
Don't pay before you have the keys
Pay in person at handover, or via escrow for distant high-value purchases. Bank transfer up front for a car you haven't seen is rarely recoverable.
Common scam patterns
- Phantom car — paid up front for a vehicle that doesn't exist or has been sold to someone else
- Cloned vehicle — real plates copied onto a stolen vehicle
- Clocked mileage that doesn't match MOT history
- Outstanding finance the seller hasn't disclosed
Verify before you transfer
Enter the bank details from the invoice and we'll show you what we can verify in seconds. No account needed to pay.
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