Short answer: check the records, confirm the seller, never pay before the car is verified, and have someone independent look at it for you. Buying a car you can’t see in person is common now, especially for the right car at the right price a few hours away. Done carefully, it’s as safe as buying locally. Done in a hurry, it’s where most used car scams happen.

Step 1: check the car’s records first

Before you spend time on calls, check what the official records say. It takes a few minutes and costs nothing:

  • MOT history. Our free MOT history check shows every MOT, the recorded mileage, failures and advisories. Mileage that goes down, long gaps or the same fault year after year are all worth asking about.
  • Vehicle details. The make, model, colour and engine size on the official record should match the advert. A different colour can mean a respray, or the wrong car.
  • Tax and recalls. Check the car is taxed or declared off the road, and whether there’s an outstanding safety recall.
  • A paid history check for outstanding finance, write-offs and stolen markers. These aren’t on the free records.

Step 2: make sure the seller is real

  • Speak on the phone, not just by message.
  • Ask for a live video call showing the car, the dashboard with the engine running, and the registration plate. A genuine seller rarely refuses.
  • Check the logbook (V5C). Ask whether the name and address on it are the seller’s, and where the car is kept. For a dealer, check the business exists and the address is real.
  • Look at the price. A car several thousand pounds below similar ones is the most common sign of a scam.

Our guide to the questions to ask when buying a used car has a full list.

Step 3: pay safely

  • Don’t pay a deposit to someone you haven’t verified, however keen they say other buyers are.
  • Be wary of “escrow” or delivery companies the seller suggests. Fake versions are a well-known scam: you pay them, and neither the car nor the money is seen again.
  • Pay a dealer by card where you can, at least for the deposit, as it can give you extra protection if things go wrong.
  • Get a written receipt with the seller’s name, address, the car’s registration and VIN, the price and the date.

Step 4: know your rights

Your rights depend on who you buy from:

  • From a dealer, at a distance. If you buy online or by phone without visiting, the Consumer Contracts Regulations normally give you 14 days to cancel after you receive the car, on top of your rights under the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The dealer can make a deduction if you’ve used the car more than needed to check it, and you may have to pay to return it if their terms say so.
  • From a private seller. There’s no 14-day return. The car must match how it was described, but it doesn’t have to be of satisfactory quality, so problems you find later are usually yours.

Our guide to your rights buying from a private seller or a dealer explains this in more detail.

Step 5: have the car inspected for you

When you can’t see the car yourself, an independent inspection is the closest thing to being there, and often better, because the inspector knows what to look for. The inspector meets the seller where the car is, checks it against the checklist for your package, road tests it where your package includes one, and sends you a written report with photos.

For remote purchases we recommend our Ultimate inspection. It includes everything in our other packages, including the HD video walkthrough so you can see the car as if you were there, plus frame and chassis integrity checks, paint thickness readings, transmission and drivetrain checks and our longest road test. When the car is far away, you want the fullest picture before you travel or pay.

A few tips to make it go smoothly:

  • Let the seller know an inspector is coming, and ask them not to start the car beforehand.
  • Ask the seller to have the V5C, service history and all keys ready.
  • Tell us anything you’re worried about when you book, such as a noise mentioned in the advert.

Step 6: collection or delivery

  • If you collect it, check it’s the same car: the registration, VIN and mileage should match the report and the paperwork.
  • If it’s delivered, check it on arrival before signing anything, and note any damage on the delivery paperwork.
  • Insure and tax it before you drive away. Tax doesn’t transfer with the car.
  • Update the logbook. The seller tells the DVLA about the sale, and you should get your new V5C in the post within a few weeks.

Warning signs to walk away from

  • The seller won’t do a phone or video call, or the car can’t be seen at a real address.
  • They refuse an independent inspection.
  • They insist on payment before you’ve verified them, or through a service you’ve never heard of.
  • The records don’t match the advert: mileage, colour, engine size or MOT history.

Book an inspection

We inspect cars at the seller’s address or the dealer, and you get a written report with photos, often the same day. See a sample report, compare what each package includes, or book an inspection.