While it’s never been easier to sell or buy a mobile home online, you should always be on the alert. Whether ebay mobile homes for sale, Facebook Market Place or Gumtree risks arealways there. That risk? Scams.
Reported Fraud
The number of reported frauds involving mobile homes is on the rise. At a time when lifestyle living has never been so popular, more mobile homes are being sold each year. In 2019, the number of homes sold in the UK reportedly exceeded the previous year’s figure by tens of thousands. Moble homes are hugely popular holiday homes.
Unfortunately the internet has helped to make scamming innocent people out of time and money easier. Scam techniques are also more sophisticated than they were 10-15 years ago. But don’t panic – you just need to make sure that you are vigilant for the tell-tale signs of a potential caravan scam.
But how can you avoid falling into such traps? As someone who is selling a caravan on on-line, what can you do to prepare yourself?
Buy Or Sell A Mobile Home With Confidence
You can avoid falling victim to scammers when buying or selling a static caravan by only dealing with a specialists. Find out about our services at Sell My Group, or talk to a reputable park operator. Look out for the Sell My Group Recommended Park badge for added confidence.
When you buy from a specialist, you will know that the caravan actually exists and that the information you are given is accurate. If you are buying a mobile home that is located on a holiday park, you will be furnished with honest details about pitch fees, park rules and the length of the licence period.
Why Scammers Target Mobile Homes
Modern mobile homes come with every luxury. They are dream home-from-homes and, therefore, can command high prices. They are valuable, and they are also in demand.
That is why fraudsters are scouring the internet, looking for a vulnerable buyer or seller to scam. And once they have got your mobile home or money, there may not be much you can do about it. The Sell My Group Facebook group was contacted last year with details of scams that were very convincing, so beware.
Warning Signs Of A Scam
Fraudsters go out of their way to seem genuine. Whether it is on Facebook Market Place, Gumtree or whether you are looking at ebay mobile homes for sale, always be vigilant. That is why it is not always easy to spot them.
Warning Signs For Sellers
If you’re just starting to learn how to sell a static caravan online or offline, here are a few tips you’ll need to follow when dealing with buyers for the first time.
- Be wary of buyers who are only willing to contact you online. Not everyone likes to commit to phone calls, but a committed buyer who hasn’t at least taken a look at your caravan should be treated with caution.
- Buyers who seems genuine, but unwilling to pay the full asking price without seeing the caravan for themselves, be careful. It is unlikely that a legitimate buyer will invest money without seeing their potential purchase up close.
- Buying fraudsters will appear very genuine on the surface, asking for photos and plenty of details. Be willing to share them, but do set boundaries. If you are asked for details or evidence that you are not comfortable with handing across, do not continue with the sale.
- Payments are where things can get a little tricky. Many people are happy to use PayPal. As a popular online transaction centre, it comes with plenty of protections and safeguards. However, your buyer may be able to pull back their cash, after you’ve taken it, without due warning. Payments can reversed through PayPal and other e-wallets.
- Do also be wary about taking payments via cheque. There is a popular scam where a buyer will ‘accidentally’ send you more than your asking price via a personal cheque. In light of their ‘error’, they will ask you to pay back the difference. The fraudster will take your money, and their original cheque will never clear.
- Do also be careful if you are contacted by people claiming to be financial agents. They may say that they have cleared a willing buyer for credit. However, on most occasions, this will turn out to be a scam to claim a ‘processing fee’ from you. Warning! There are no buyers at the other end.
- Sellers shouldn’t part with their mobile home unless payment has been received in full. This includes waiting for money to clear. Whether selling a caravan on eBay or elsewhere, the bottom line is that you hand over the goods once they have been paid for.
Warning Signs For Buyers
Buyers should be vigilant, too. Below is a list of tips on buying a static caravan;
- Avoid non-specialist service or website. Buying with Sell My Group will offer you complete confidence from sale to sale. We make sure sellers are 100% genuine. If you are looking on ebay looking at ebay mobile homes for sale, Facebook Market Place or Gumtreebe vigilant.
- Platforms such as eBay, Gumtree or social media, are used by scammers. In some cases, there won’t be a caravan at all for sale. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Avoid brand new mobile homes which are being sold at low prices in pursuit of a ‘quick sale’. Try and avoid deals which really ramp up the extras, too.
- View before buying. If a seller tries to force a deal without a viewing, you are likely dealing with a scammer. They may use excuses such as being ‘too busy’ to arrange viewings, or that there has been ‘a lot of interest’.
- Photos of mobile homes for sale. They may have copied them from elsewhere online. To be extra careful, right-click a photo and then click ‘search Google for this image’. Google has a feature that shows if this image has been copied from somewhere else. It is okay to use manufacturers photos if there is a note on the listing.
- Amazing sales pitches….A great static caravan should sell itself! If, after a lengthy sales pitch, a seller still won’t agree to a viewing, move on. if they are willing to sell their mobile home, they will move heaven and earth to view it.
- Don’t ever share personal or banking information with a seller. It is simply none of their business – and there should be no reason they can give you to make you want to hand it over.
Avoid Scammers with a Service You Can Trust
Dealing with scammers may sound scary – but don’t be put off from being your ideal mobile home The same goes for selling, too. Providing you are always aware and vigilant of the usual tricks and traps fraudsters use to steal your money and/or your goods, you will soon be able to spot the genuine buyers from the scam artists.
We always recommend dealing with a specialist mobile home service or a trusted park. Start looking for your perfect mobile homes with confidence – or Sell your mobile home with Sell My Group. Our expert services will connect you to genuine buyers, sellers and wonderful park locations.
Viewings are essential, but just reduce your risk when looking at websites as Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree or ebay mobile homes for sale by being extra vigilant.