LATEST SECURITY ANNOUNCEMENT
Seller Alert - Engine Tampering During a Viewing
We are aware of a scam targeting vehicle sellers, where individuals posing as potential buyers attempt to tamper with the car to falsely claim mechanical damage and negotiate a lower price. The scam involves secretly pouring oil into the coolant reservoir, exhaust, or over the engine to make it appear faulty or damaged. This is done during viewings or test drives. If you suspect this has happened to you or have any information about this scam, please contact us using the details in Report an Issue section of this page. Your report could help protect others.
Report an issue
Think you’ve been a victim of fraud or spotted something we should know about?
Security advice
How to buy and sell vehicles safely
Buying or selling a car should be a pleasant, hassle-free experience‚ and at Autotrader we do everything we can to make sure that's the case. Our handy hints and tips will ensure you stay safe online, whether you're buying or selling a car.
Safety advice

Never send money for a vehicle you haven't seen
View and check the vehicle and documents before handing over any money. The only exception would be if you have paid to reserve the vehicle through Autotrader's Online Order journey or arranged a distance sale from one of our advertising dealers, who offer this service. If you pay for a deposit or click and collect/home delivery, consider using a credit card as this offers additional protection.

Keep your keys safe during viewings
Never leave a potential buyer alone with the vehicle, give them the keys, or let them borrow the car documents. Never allow unsupervised access to the engine or allow yourself to be distracted during a viewing of your vehicle.

Look out for scam calls, emails and texts
We’ll never call you on the protected number on your advert or ask you to login to your Autotrader account via email or SMS. Only enter your login details where you see a padlock icon in your browser window.