Scams when buying a car abroad: warning signs

According to the European Consumer Centre, most frauds follow the same pattern: they ask for money in advance in exchange for products at very attractive prices. When buying a second-hand car in another country, be wary of the combination of a price far below normal, a seller who cannot show you the car in person and a request for money in advance, whether as a deposit, a reservation or for transport. The rule for avoiding the trap is simple: do not pay for a car you have not seen, to a seller you have not checked, by a method that leaves no trace. And if you have already paid, report it and tell your bank as soon as possible.

The pattern that keeps repeating

The European Consumer Centre in Spain, which comes under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, sums it up like this: spotting a fraud is not always easy, but most cases follow the same pattern, in which the consumer is asked for a sum of money in advance in exchange for products at very advantageous or ridiculously low prices. In its guide to frauds it warns that these scams are also appearing on second-hand vehicle sales sites at unusually low prices.

Buying in another country makes things easier for the fraudster: you cannot pop round to see the car that same afternoon, the documents are in another language and it is normal for the conversation to happen by message. That is why it pays to know in advance which signs to look for and which checks to make.

Warning signs in the advert and the seller

INCIBE, Spain's National Cybersecurity Institute, flags offers with unrealistically low prices as a warning sign and adds that these adverts often add an element of urgency, to pressure you and leave you no time to think before acting. Its conclusion is clear: if the price is not what you would expect, be suspicious.

In that same guide, the European Consumer Centre lists suspicious practices aimed at fake rentals and warns that these scams also occur in second-hand vehicle sales. Applied to a car, they would be these:

• Sellers who live abroad and cannot show the item in person.
• Sellers who suggest using intermediaries to hand over the keys or the contract.
• Sellers who give little information or make it difficult to communicate through the sales platform.

To that list, for a car, add other signs that should not be overlooked:

• They will not give you the chassis number, or refuse to let you check it on the car itself.
• They only show photos of the papers, never the originals.
• They propose a transport or “secure payment” company that you do not know and that they choose.
• The account to pay into is in someone else's name or in a country other than theirs.
• They switch channel (from the portal to an email or a messaging app) as soon as you ask something specific.

How to check the seller and the car

If they say they are a dealer or a company, check it. With the European Commission's VIES web tool you can check whether a company is registered for cross-border trade in the EU. Also look for their website by typing the name into the browser yourself: INCIBE recommends manually typing the name of the shop or company into the search engine instead of clicking on the advert, and reminds you that the padlock or “https” only ensures the connection is encrypted, but does not validate that the site is legitimate.

If they are a private seller, check that they are the registered owner: their name must match the one on the registration certificate. And be wary if the car was leased: according to the European Commission's Your Europe portal, until the purchase option is exercised, the person or company leasing the car is its legal owner.

In both cases, the car has to exist and match its papers. Compare the car's chassis number with the one on the registration certificate and the certificate of conformity, as we explain in how to check the chassis number, and go over its history with how to spot a tampered odometer. If you cannot go yourself, find someone you trust to see it in person. If you are torn between buying from a company or from a private seller, read private seller or dealer.

How to pay without giving your money away

The European Consumer Centre gives three guidelines: use secure payment methods, never pay through money transfer companies and, if possible, use a credit card, because you will be able to reverse an improper charge. On Bizum (the Spanish instant mobile payment service), it reminds you that payments are immediate and irrevocable.

Applied to buying a car:

• Do not pay the full price in advance. If you pay a deposit, keep it small, with a signed contract and by a method that leaves a trace in the seller's name.
• Pay the rest when you have the car and the original documents in front of you, not before.
• Keep the advert, the messages, the contract and the payment receipts from day one.

If you have already paid: what to do

1. Tell your bank immediately: the European Consumer Centre recommends notifying the bank, in case of fraud, as well as reporting it.
2. Report it. According to INCIBE, if you have been the victim of any kind of fraud or crime, you can file a report with the Spanish state law enforcement forces (Fuerzas y Cuerpos de Seguridad del Estado) at any police station or through their web portals.
3. Report the fraud to INCIBE-CERT, providing a detailed description of the incident and the evidence of the fraud if possible.
4. Ask for guidance from INCIBE's Cybersecurity Helpline, on 017, or by WhatsApp (900 116 117).

Bear in mind an important difference. The European Consumer Centres help resolve complaints with genuine companies in another EU country, but have no powers to act in cases of fraud or scams: those cases are alleged scams, classed as criminal offences, and it is for the law enforcement forces and the courts to investigate them. If your problem is with a genuine dealer who is not meeting their obligations, see the guarantee on a used car bought in the EU.

Sources consulted

Checked on 11 October 2026. We link to the original source so that you can consult the current text.

• Fraudes online. Centro Europeo del Consumidor en España (Ministerio de Consumo).
• Fraudes y estafas comerciales: fraudes a consumidores y recomendaciones para evitarlos (folleto). Centro Europeo del Consumidor en España (Ministerio de Consumo).
• Pasos para contrastar si un anuncio es verdadero o falso. INCIBE.
• Comprobar un número de IVA (sistema VIES). Comisión Europea (Tu Europa).
• Comprar y arrendar (leasing) un vehículo en otro país de la UE. Comisión Europea (Tu Europa).
• Cómo denunciar si has sido víctima de un fraude o delito. INCIBE.
• Reporte de fraude. INCIBE.