Did You Know About These Caravan Related Scams?

Caravan scams are not unheard of. Several people fall into the traps laid out by scammers who try to rob people of their caravan and / or money.  The only way to escape from such potholes is to spread awareness about such issues and take necessary precautions which would keep you away from such scandalous affairs. Remember, the problem will only intensify if the dealing or communication is done over the internet or the phone. Do not take such a risk even if the offer seems too tempting to avoid.

SCAM #1: Getting Credit Card Details

This scam is usually carried out with those who have put up their caravans for sale. The first step involves communicating with the seller either through phone call or email. The call will probably be from an individual claiming to be from a finance / loan agency who will tell you that they have details of people who are potentially interested in the caravan you have for sale. They will go on to say that the buyer has been cleared for credit on the caravan that you are selling.

For providing this service, you would be required to pay a sum through credit card by sharing the relevant details over the phone. This is where most people fall into a vicious trap. Do not pay or share credit card details with the person at all. If the buyer has been cleared for credit, then he or she will contact you directly.

SCAM #2: The Transaction

This scam is also associated with caravan sales. The scam begins with the fraudster contacting you by email seeming interested in the caravan you have or sale. In order to appear genuine, they will ask you all the right questions and even request photos of the caravan before moving ahead. Now that they have you convinced, they will ask for your home address so that they may send the cheque. The buyers will claim that they are getting the caravan shipped overseas and that they have recruited a middleman to handle the process on their behalf.

After you receive the cheque, the buyer will “inform” you that the cheque has been sent for a bigger amount that is more than the value of the caravan. You will be told that the extra cost was for the shipping agent. In this case, you will be asked to transfer the additional amount to them and get reimbursed when the cheque clears. As is pretty evident, the cheque will never clear and the scammers will have already made away with your money. Never release funds or transfer the ownership of your caravan to anyone without receiving funds that have been completely cleared by your bank.

SCAM #3: Buying a Caravan That Doesn’t Exist

This scam is targeted at those who are planning on buying a caravan. You will be offered a deal that is hard to resist and seems too good to be true. Well, it is definitely a honey trap that you need to stay away from. Remember, this deal will come your way on the internet. Apparently, the website will invoice you said amount and hold onto the money until you have the chance to view the caravan upon the seller’s return. The invoice that you get will be pretty convincing but do not make any payment. No online caravan seller or website makes such an offer. This is just an attempt to rob you. Be careful. Remember, the caravan does not exist and the banking details or the funds that you transferred will be used to extract funds from you and you will never be able to trace the person responsible for the scam.

The best way to stay away from such problems is to be vigilant and keep away from offers that are extraordinarily appealing. If it’s too good to be true, then trust your instincts and stay away or risk losing a good amount of your hard earned wealth or your caravan.