Maybe I'm being a bit paranoid, but would appreciate any advice about whether it is safe to give out log book details and VIN number when a potential buyer asks for such information in orfder to carry out a HPI check. Could this come back to bite me in any way - cloning, ID theft etc.
Any advice much appreciated.
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On many cars the VIN is at the base of the screen, so could be seen in a public car park.
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One way is to give the V5C reference number or the last MOT reference number so they can check the car's MOT history online
This will include the VIN number and can be cross referenced against the HPI check
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Why not do your own HPI and advertise it as HPI checked and show them the docs when they view the car?? Might give you an edge over other cards for sale. Just an idea.
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Be careful. It is a potential con. It happened to me on Ebay. I got a very nice and plausible email from a prospective buyer asking for the VIN for an HPi check. I thought, no big deal - the info is readily available on even a basic HPi type check. Next thing I knew, my genuine car buyer was ringing me up to say he had seen my car advertised at a fraction of the price. The conman had copied my photos and text and advertised my car on Autotrader. I told my buyer that the car was here and he could come and look at it - touch it, feel it authenticate it! Sadly, he was pretty stupid or greedy because he could not see that paying a £3000 deposit to get the car back from its apparent location in the South of France was foolhardy at best and an obvious con. People don't need the VIN for an HPi check. They need it to put in the advert that they have the VIN number as if it authenticates their advert. Then they can collect lots of deposits against the car from those who don't know that there is no such thing as a bargain!
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Then they can collect lots of deposits against the car from those who don't know that there is no such thing as a bargain!
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Serves them right if there dum enough to put a deposit on a car they've not actaully seen!!!
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