Agree with all of the above. If you move it, get someone else to follow you to make sure a) you are safe and b) to keep an eye open for someone else following you. In any case, secure the car in any way you can, including locks, blocking it in and removing the ECU relay.
VERY dodgy and to be avoided at all costs.
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00 353 is RoI code.
In any case, a call to the police is essential.
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The car is blocked in at the moment. But it wasn't when the guy called.
I dont know how to remove the ECU relay! I do have somewhere i can leave it, with a garage, but the house is owned by an elderly relative of mine.
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Thanks for the advice.
The guy did leave a name and phone number.
It sounds like i should call the police.
If he calls again i will tell himi the car is sold. I wish my mum had thought to do that. Not nice for her as she was home alone with my kid sister.
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Ben,
Don't delay anyfurther. Call the police now before you do anything else in case this guy comes back.
Give the police his phone number etc.
Don't hesitate as this is the safety of you and your Mum at stake here.
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Ben...
Even if (and it's a big if) this bloke genuinely wants to buy your car and has got overexcited about it, someone has committed an offence in giving him your details.
If he got them from the police, PNC checks are logged, and you can tell who has looked at what. Probably a fairly big job to search it out, but it can be done.
If he got the details from the DVLA, someone there has also broken the law (do a quick google for the case of Barry Saul Dickinson and the common law offence of abuse of a public office, I think it's called).
Does your force have a central non-emergency number you could register your concerns with? It'll be in the phone book and will probably start 0845 something. While this probably isn't worth dialling 999 for at present, you need to let the police know.
Hope everyone where you are gets some sleep tonight.
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Thanks PoloGirl.
I have rung my local station, who i think have out me through to the central non-emergency no. I'm on hold now!
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Ouch!
Very nasty and a lesson perhaps 'valuable personal reg. details on demand' for next time I think.
Nothing much to add except file a full written report with the boys in blue and tell them if its not followed up you'll contact your MP. Unlikely it was them, probably just one of these companies the DVLA sells information to (whihc is a scandal itself) but worth it just in case it was.
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Do you think i should remove the advert and place it again without the reg number?
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Probably too late now as the damage is done.
Have you called the Police yet?
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Horse, stable, bolt spring to mind. Get onto les flics and see what they have to say.
As for relays, you should find a relay panel near the battery under the bonnet (no specific BMW experience, just general observation). These are usually clearly labelled. Fuel pump or ECU relay removed will disable car nicely. Failing that, it will be by the fusebox, but these relays tend to stay on the "hot" side of the bulkhead.
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Sorry, that may have sounded a little harsh. Not my intention.
Now get off the internet and on to the police please.
Best of luck,
Alan
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See... now I can't go to bed til he gets off the phone and I know all my Backroom mums and dads are going to be safe in their beds tonight.
Are you still on hold, Ben?
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Just finished the call. At one point they said to me after i finished my account, "so, what do you want the police to do about it?"
Incredible. I explained the asked for my dad by name. The Ebay account is in my name and i have a different surname, so i told them, ihave concluded the information has not come from Ebay. Therefore the following offences are posible.
I have given details, the name the bloke used and his 00353... phone number he used to call me. Car is blocked in but we have not moved it yet. THink i might go and try and move the ECU relay thingy. I have hidden keys to both cars on the drive.
Think i might try and pursuade my dad to px it for a nice honda or toyota that we can keep forever!
Police should call in the morning. they have passed details to a telephone crime unit!?
There advice was, dont answer door, call 999.
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Just finished the call. At one point they said to me after i finished my account, "so, what do you want the police to do about it?"
::slaps forehead::
Sorry Ben, I had hoped you would get better than this.
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Maybe their customer service skills could do with brushing up a bit, but that's fair enough really. You can't really expect them to come out and guard your house, but at least you have let them know what's going on.
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I didnt think they should or expect them to come out. But i would of hoped the first thing they said was can i have the details the guy left and his phone number.
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Exactly what I would have expected the Police to say.
Basically as they see it , a crime hasnt been committed and so that equates to something that they wouldnt be very concerned about.
Fairly certain that this is a momentary scare and one needs to stay put(only if you have someone to follow you, move the car etc) otherwise its probably best to disable the car by the ECU and to take it easy trying not to think about it too much.
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All the above is good advice
If the auction has more than 12 hours to run you can cancel it on Ebay by citing one of the reasons they allow you to choose. I would go for "error in the listing" or whatever it is.
Then do what you will with the plate and re-list it with a revised description/picture if you have second thoughts about including it in the sale.
Some of the original bidders may come back and you might want to give a reason in the 2nd ad as to why it came and went.
as always
Mark
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Whole experience , a nasty one although dont think there should be any more problems in the night atleast!
Is this bloke crazy, turning up at 2130 hours.
Anyone who is not known turning up at that time gets spoken to o without opening the door,to come back in the day.
Keeping the car away from the same address for some days and switching your answerphone on with a message that goes someting like this-
Please leave a name and number and I will get back, ie usual followed by ,If you are enquiring with regards to the car,sale has been finalised or something to that effect.
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Over a turf fire in Ballymugbeggin,Eire.
"Begod bejazzus Memmy will yer look as diss on E Bay. Just the motah I am after all dees years but its fer sale in England and der number as well. Lord save us must have it Memmy but how?"
"Get onto Seamus, he's in the Gardes and he maybe can get details of the guy that owns the vehicle from the number, know what I mean, den you can check the phone books etc and then contact Paddy who is over der warter at the moment and send him to round to do a deal."
"Wots dat Patrick the bloke isn't in just an owled woman. Never mind keep going till you have craic with the guy and I'll keep phoning. I really want dat ker and I have the Euros to give a good price on a shake and a spit on the hand."
Could of course be all innocent?
But naughty police officer who is going to get his P.45 for the illegal check on the PNC.(All checks traceable).
Local plod can do nought as nothing so far wrong, al biet bit sus, other than advise be on your guard and take sensible precautions to prevent any theft.
Dont let events frighten you too much as you can weave yourself a nightmare.
DVD
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Thanks for the advice DVD.
Car is still here and all is well.
The guy rang back this morning, and I informed him the car had been sold. I hope I won't hear from him again.
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unless he reads the backroom....
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unless he reads the backroom....
or he sees the car back on ebay or other medium.
commiserations ben,
you seem to get more than your fair share of "dodgy" buyers turning up ( recalling your nasty experience selling the mondeo when a "nice doctor" came around to your mum's house ).
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And then read the tale on this website if I remember rightly
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How can you blame the police....it may be DVLA..anyone can request reg details at a price....plus if they are going to nick your car they are hardly going to turn up on your doorstep and knock on the door..are they?......
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Just read the whole post..........
"Don't hesitate as this is the safety of you and your Mum at stake here"................WHAT!!!!....
the bloke got your address somehow........and knocked on your door and left his number!......are we expecting a murder or something .......if they wanted it that badly you would have woke in in the morning to find it gone........
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Having read this thread I too would be worried however it is possible that this guy is striaght and honest and will pay a good price for the car.
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No-one's disputing that Cheddar and Doog but the fact is, he got hold of Ben's address...somehow. He turned up at a house, unannounced, at 9:30pm. The act of a "straight" man?
Also, let's not forget, when you ring the Police, you aren't speaking to a police officer - you're speaking to a civillian.
--
Adam
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On the plus side, a RoI phone number was given, His home phone number perhaps? Not a typical action of a crook 'I'm coming to nick the motor and here's my home phone number if you have a problem with that' - don't think so.
I suspect this chap was just eager to get the chance to buy the car and his approach was less than subtle.
Ben, may I suggest you stop selling motors from you mum's address?
Hugo
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Its not my car- its my dad's. I dont want to sell any mroe cars!! My dad lives with my mum, but got me to do the ebay business and the selling. I live at home too as i have now finished uni. I havent sold anyhting from here since the well documented Mondeo sale!
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A ROI registered mobile would start with 00353 when dialed from the UK.
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On the plus side, a RoI phone number was given, His home phone number perhaps? >>
Sorry, I should have said AN ROI registered mobile would start with 00353 when dialed from the UK, as per a UK mobile needing 0044 when dialled from abroad.
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To be honest i think she was more "intimidated" by the fact he could get our address so easily- the car had not been listed long. He was probably a genuinely nice chap who just happend to come to view, without an appointment at a stupid time!
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Firstly i did not expect the police to come rushing round. I did expect a more helpful initial repsonse than what do you want us to do about it.
However, i called as they may have heard of something similar and my information may have been useful. Additionaly, if the individual was involved in some form of scam, the police may know about it and tell me, in case at a later date I did consider doing business with him.
Remember lots of criminals of higher value vehicles do not want to break into the car and make a mess, they want the keys. The guy could of been calling at the door to find out who is home or to come in and have a look around looking for a way he could break in at another time and steal the keys.
When he arrived he could of got the to car easily. It was only once i had returned that i blocked the car in.
I ask you, if you were looking for a car would you try and buy it in another country at 9:30 at night. How did he even expect to see the car? There is very little light by the car.
I wasnt overly worried. But my mum felt uneasy. She has to deal with aggressive people often, and has been threatened (kneecapping etc). She felt he was intimidating. Also why did he come back again when she said there was no-one at home that could help him.
At the end of the day all is well. But if you are advertising your car, you may wish to obscure the number plate in the photos.
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At the end of the day all is well. But if you are advertising your car, you may wish to obscure the number plate in the photos.
Should ebay be doing more to protect us from scams? Top tip they should have on car selling page (and see thread "ebay secure selling?").
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with all due respect adam...you have alot to learn...I repeat.. car thieves or dodgy geezers interested in obtaining your motor..do not knock on your door and introduce themselves........I know trust me
doog
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with all due respect
Always a bad start.
Confidence. Trickster. Con. Man. Any of these words sound familiar? Any idea how many cars get nicked on accompanied test drives each year? Easier to steal a car if you have the keys.
Now there is a good chance this was over-enthusiasm and a genuine buyer. But they went waaaaaay overboard in their enthusiasm if that is the case. I'm 34, reasonably wise to the world and quite prepared to look after myself in situations that would make you cringe (having repo'd cars for a living, trust me on this one) but I would be freaked out if this happened to me, I can tell you.
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>>having repo'd cars for a living
Like I've told you before, car repo is for girls. Real men collect debts.
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"confidence. Trickster. Con. Man. Any of these words sound familiar? Any idea how many cars get nicked on accompanied test drives each year? Easier to steal a car if you have the keys"
go on then tell me ? this might get interesting
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I shall see if I can find the article I saw this in earlier in the year. Numerous examples, many top-class cars taken on dealership test drives down to small hatchbacks nicked on test drives booked from an ad in the local paper.
I'm pretty sure it was in the Telegraph.
Leave it with me.
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Yep I read it too. As I only read the telelgraph or Car it was on one or the other.
--
Espada III - well if you have a family and need a Lamborghini, what else do you drive?
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This is a truely terrible tale, I'm so glad you got everything sorted out.
I know that i'd also be very worried if I advertised a car for sale and somebody who wanted to buy it came around to have a look at the car, and was obviously keen on buying it hence his persistance.
Alternativly, sit back and think. What on earth is all this panicing about? Ok so he got the details rather suspectly but come on, if he wanted to nick it he'd hardly ring the doorbell and leave his phone number!
He just wanted to view the car! Now you've told him its sold, when it isnt, so he'll see it back on ebay. For what? You could have sold him it!
Paranoia or what?
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Like I've told you before, car repo is for girls. Real men collect debts.
But I'd look really silly in that long leather coat of yours.
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yeah, 18" of it would be dragging on the floor.
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apologies one and all; I hit the wrong button and deleted a couple of notes. I do hope that nothing of value was lost, although do accept my apologies it you feel that there was.
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