Are car-matching companies genuine?
Q: I recently listed my car in the classifieds, and keep getting calls from companies claiming to be 'a service that puts buyers and sellers together'. Some require a fee up front. Is this the latest scam, or are these companies genuine?
Kieron Carroll
A: The short answer is yes, it probably is a scam.
We'd recommend advertising your car in the in the classifieds. It doesn't cost much and there's a good chance the car will sell at the right price.
The companies you mention have found your number in the classifieds, and will want between 80 and 100 to guarantee you a 'match'.
A 'match' doesn't mean a sale, so you probably won't hear anything after you've handed over your card details.
In fact, we investigated the scam at the end of 2006, and paid several companies the hefty fee they demanded to see if our car would really sell. Unsurprisingly, it didn't.
