6:25 am, February 11, 2014
AUTO Trader has issued advice amid concerns dealers are being targeted by scammers.
Last week a Car Dealer Forum user contacted us alerting other dealers of a wave of hacking which is currently occurring in the Birmingham area.
‘The scam starts when the dealer receives an email from what looks like Auto Trader or Raszor asking them to click a link and confirm their login details,’ the user said. ‘Some dealers have done so and found their account compromised not long after.’
One dealer has already been a victim of the scam – one hacker hacked into their account and reduced each of their cars to £1,600.
‘He managed to get in touch with a customer who had been in touch with the scammers themselves,’ the user told us. ‘They wanted the customer to meet them in a London hotel, where the car and cash would be exchanged.
‘The scammers would obviously not have a car and would take the cash, through means that aren’t worth thinking about.’
Car Dealer contacted Auto Trader and spokesperson issued the following statement: ‘Auto Trader works with a dedicated customer security team who proactively shut down any fraudulent activity and work closely with customers who alert us to any suspicious activity.
‘The company has also recently updated email templates for better consistency and introduced more examples of personalised information such as dealership name to help dealers validate genuine Auto Trader communications – and thereby identify any potential scammers.
‘In addition, through Dealer Portal, Auto Trader provides customers with practical information on security issues.’
ADVICE
Auto Trader has issued advice for dealers who find their accounts being hacked.
1. If any communication looks suspicious immediately call: 0845 071 0487
2. Never provide your account details to a third party
3. Familiarise yourself with security procedures in Dealer Portal
If you think you have been scammed contact the Auto Trader Customer Security team on 0845 071 0487 or at [email protected]
