A fraudster in Lancashire has tried to con two dealerships out of 14 high-end cars by posing as a company director.
Earlier this month the criminal, claiming to be the managing director of a legitimate business, contacted an Audi dealership in Bolton and ordered seven cars. He was found to be using a fake driver’s license and the order was cancelled, but the man repeated the same trick at a Manchester dealership, this time ordering seven BMWs for his supposed business.
Fraud is not just an issue with people buying cars; it has also been a problem among car dealers too. A small minority of individuals and businesses will lie when obtaining a road risks insurance or motor trade insurance quote, which is both illegal and dangerous as it could leave them out of pocket if something should go wrong and they do not have the correct cover in place.
The man’s first attempted purchase at the Audi dealership took place between January 8 and January 16, with the fraudster then trying his luck in Manchester the following week.
According to the Manchester Evening News, concerns were raised from the BMW dealership’s fraud department and following checks with the organisation the man purported to be from, the order was cancelled.
Detective Inspector Charlotte Cadden said: “Without question these two incidents are linked. When efforts to obtain seven Audi vehicles were foiled, similar attempts were made with a BMW dealership. In both cases the offender used the same name and purported to be from the same business, which is a legitimate business based in Greater Manchester.
“Had either attempt been successful then the dealership in question would have lost tens of thousands of pounds. Thankfully due diligence has prevailed and they have prevented the offender getting hold of any cars.”
