Garages Card Scam targeted

Unfortunately, garages and car service centres have always been targets for different types of scams.

Including this particular scam by using stolen credit cards over the phone. So here at Pellon Tyre and Autocentre in Halifax we try to be as switched on as possible. Only recently did we receive a phone order for a set of four expensive tyres. Fortunately, we could “smell a rat”. The caller asked for a friend to collect the tyres.

spiciously, then we would not let tyres go anywhere. People are always trying this sort of thing and I am sure that they make a living out of it. Another type of fraud that is on the rise is the “chargeback scam”. People order goods usually online. The address used for delivery is usually some empty property in a city centre. The fraudsters hope that the couriers will leave the goods with a neighbour. So a few weeks later, they will inform the credit card company that they have not received the goods. A charge back is then issued to the out-of-pocket supplier.

Nearly taken for £2000 !Garages Card Scam targeted

In fact this almost happened to us a few months ago! Our batteriesontheweb.co.uk web site received a very nice order for six very large Varta AGM truck batteries. So, the order was just under the £2000 mark. Consequently, I decided that we should deliver these batteries on our own transport. Indeed I decided to delivery these very heavy truck batteries myself.

The address was in a district of Birmingham, Britains second city. So, I remember thinking whether or not there would be somebody at the other end to help me unload these very heavy batteries. It is important to realise that these batteries weigh as much as 65 kg ! It is very heavy for one man to lift.

The journey was a good one. However I was shocked to find that the address was to an empty semi detached house. In other words this delivery had the makings of a scam. So as to double check then I parked my van and had a walk up to the house. The property was empty with some old lace curtains up at the windows. For this reason, I decided to quickly turn around an headed back home.

A chargeback was issued. Garages Card Scam targeted

Luckily, I decided to deliver the batteries myself. Sometimes we will send out the batteries on a pallet. This could have ended up very expensive for us! Especially, if the pallet had been left at the premises. So, after calling my wife and explaining the situation I arrive back in Halifax with the batteries. Sure enough the scammers received a charge back from the card company.

In the past we have been victims of this type of fraud. Consequently we have learned important lessons and in this case we minimised our losses. The lesson is that if it is “too good to be true” then it probably will be and stay clear it will be a scam.

Scammers are continuing to target garages. Garages Card Scam targeted

With a widely-used ‘card not present’ method where tyres are purchased over the phone using stolen card details before being collected and payment reversed by the card company,

Source: Garages still being targeted by ‘card not present’ tyre scam, IGA warns – Garagewire

Garages Card Scam targeted