Suspicion of fraud in the car trade: Police investigate in Wesseling!

Suspicion of fraud in the car trade: Police investigate in Wesseling!

In the Rhein-Erft district, police arrested a 45-year-old man in Wesseling who is suspected of defrauding customers when buying a car. The arrested man is not blameless: He is said to have run a car dealership with at least other perpetrators in which cars were offered, but in the end they were not delivered or were delivered in a different condition than agreed. As Radio Erft reports, he has already been taken into custody.

Police investigated several cases dating back to 2023. In particular, vehicles were offered via online platforms, which gave the fraudster a certain advantage. The investigating criminal police have specialized in searching for other perpetrators and victims and are asking the public for help. Those affected can contact the district police directly on 02271 81-0 or by email at poststelle.rhein-erft-kreis@polizei.nrw.de.

Experiences of victims

Public relations is the investigators' top priority because there are indications that other victims, possibly even nationwide, are affected. It is not uncommon for buyers to fall for tempting offers and then find themselves without the vehicle they purchased. In this context, ADAC experts warn of scams that are widespread when buying cars on the Internet. Fake websites or escrow accounts can cause buyers to lose money without ever seeing a car. The ADAC offers a comprehensive checklist on this topic that is intended to make buyers more aware of buying used cars, as shown on ADAC.

An important sign of seriousness is a written purchase contract. Buyers should also be careful not to make any down payments and to question unusual payment requests. Police investigators also offer to investigate possible cases of fraud and check leads, which is extremely relevant at a time when online business is booming.

A call for caution

The situation surrounding the car trade shows that you also have to be careful when buying a second-hand vehicle. Scammers take advantage of the fact that many people are often in a hurry or too excited when buying a car, so they become careless. Anyone who buys expensive cars online should always remain skeptical and question tempting offers. The police in the Rhein-Erft district therefore have an important role in warning potential victims and catching other fraudsters. The detectives are therefore asking everyone who has been injured to come forward urgently.