Logbook scam?

korc

Hi all
Just looking for some advice and opinions. Without going into too much detail...recently purchased a new car. Traded in my own and dealer gave pretty good trade in price as well as generous discounts. Very happy!

However dealer has since sent me a logbook for a car I know nothing about. He has put my workplace as the registered owner and myself as the seller. I presume this is to avail of scrappage allowance or something?!?

He did this without my permission or my knowing anything about it. Logbook came direct from dept of transport several weeks after my buying new car. Are they involving me in some scam?

Appreciate any opinions thanks.

slimjimmc

Are you saying you received 2 logbooks?
One from the dealer for one car which is unknown to you, and the correct logbook for your new car from Shannon?

To avail of the government scrappage the car must be destroyed soon after you selling it, so I fail to see how re-registering it can help there.

sentient_6

EDIT: thought you got one logbook for your new car with incorrect details. I still dont see where your getting thats its some kind of scam though. So ill say again, have you actually tried ringing the dealer?

korc

Thanks for reply.
2 logbooks yes. The one for the new car I purchased. The 2nd logbook is suggesting that I (or at least my workplace) own the unheard of car.

I guess the dealer is trying to say I traded this unheard of car in against my new car. The car I actually traded in was not eligible for scrappage as was too new.

korc

@ Sentient

Not jumping to conclusions hence looking for advice. He rang me prior to my recieving the random logbook, asked me to sign it and return to him. I just though some issue with my original trade in logbook so didn't really ask much about it. Also who had this unknown car registered in my name? Looking on motor tax site it takes a bit of form filling to request a replacement logbook.

sentient_6

korc wrote: »

@ Sentient

Not jumping to conclusions hence looking for advice. He rang me prior to my recieving the random logbook, asked me to sign it and return to him. I just though some issue with my original trade in logbook so didn't really ask much about it. Also who had this unknown car registered in my name? Looking on motor tax site it takes a bit of form filling to request a replacement logbook.

Bizarre alright. I dont see what the dealer would set to again from doing that though. Maybe wiser minds on here can answer. I still say its probably some mistake cos its no good a scam surely if your going to receive a extra logbook as part of it, what did he think you'd just ignore it? Doesnt make sense.

korc

I suppose he might reclaim the government scrappage allowance that he probably discounted off the new car by having me "play along with" that I traded in an eligible car.

That is assuming it isn't just a genuine mistake.

korc

Anyway thanks for replies. Not too worried about it as I haven't signed anything. Ringing dealer indeed best approach, was just wondering if anyone came across anything similar is all. And it's Sunday, dealer not open. And I'm bored!!

mickdw

What date did this transfer supposedly take place. You would have had to own any car for 18 months if there was to be a scrappage scam.
Have nothing to do with this. If you didnt own the car, dont dream dream of accepting ownership or responsibility for it.
Are you telling us the full story?
Did you agree to some underhand deal with the garage in order to get a better deal?
Seeing as the dealer called you prior to receiving it, its not a mistake in shannon. Provided you knew nothing of this, I would be tempted to report to gardai.

korc

I'll see what he has to say first but certainly very wierd. I can't imagine dealer doing something so stupid though if indeed the case.

No prior underhanded agreement on my part, unlikely to be on here chatting about it if so

mickdw

korc wrote: »

I'll see what he has to say first but certainly very wierd. I can't imagine dealer doing something so stupid though if indeed the case.

No prior underhanded agreement on my part, unlikely to be on here chatting about it if so

I meant did something like this happen:

Dealer: I will try to do something on a scrappage car I have out the back there to do you a good deal

You: Do the best you can thanks!

korc

Definately not. Car I traded in was an ok price. Everything else was simply discounts of his own offering. Infact the word scrappage never even came into play in any shape or form as my car was too new.

Also he had offered the majority of the discounts over the phone weeks before when I rang just enquiring about their prices. Again no mention of scrappage whatsoever. Just thought to myself it was agressive recession pricing.

mickdw

Its very odd. I would seriously go to gardai with that. There is no good reason for him to do this. If he is a big enough scumbag, you could be implicated in all sorts of sh1t if you signed that.
also involving your work place in it. Lunacy.

coylemj

You definitely want to do something about that situation because otherwise you will start getting speeding and parking tickets.

Someone has a car that has been put in your name and they can now drive at any speed they choose knowing that the speeding ticket will land on your desk at work. Ditto with parking in places that don't clamp such as (in the Dublin area) Blackrock or Dun Laoghaire.

robtri

if you have your logbook for your car, then i would just post the other logbok back to shannon with a note stating you dont own or ever had owned such car...

korc

Hi all

Was in work so have just now had a chance to have a proper look at mystery logbook. Some of my posts were slightly inaccurate but the facts are still a bit concerning.

The logbook states that my employer is the current registered owner of the unknown vehicle. Maybe just a bizarre coincidence?!? My name and address have been filled in on the back page as the person intending to purchase the vehicle, i.e. the new owner if I were to sign it. The date of this supposed transaction has been left blank. The seller signature is illegible.

The mystery car would have qualified for scrappage for me if indeed I owned it and this supposed transaction were to have occured say....18months ago (or whatever the scrappage ownership timeline is).

WTF is going on. Is this happening to others buying new cars who are not claiming or eligble for scrappage?

mickdw

If employer is a huge employer, then that could well be coincidence. I have not got a clue what is going on here tbh.

Dilbert75

Send it back to Shannon with an innocent note to the effect that you think there's been an error and that there must have been a mix-up between two customers. That gives him an "out" to quietly cover it up if that's what he chooses.

Only downside to that is that you'll need your dealer's goodwill if you're ever looking for warranty repairs and this could affect that.

Padraig Mor

Not mentioning any names but I recently enquired about buying a new car with no trade in (i.e. no scrappage). Got an excellent price from the dealer. When I pushed for an even lower price he said he couldn't go any lower and was already "going to have to get a log book for scrappage" with the straight price he had given. I got the impression this was fairly routine....

mickdw

Padraig Mor wrote: »

Not mentioning any names but I recently enquired about buying a new car with no trade in (i.e. no scrappage). Got an excellent price from the dealer. When I pushed for an even lower price he said he couldn't go any lower and was already "going to have to get a log book for scrappage" with the straight price he had given. I got the impression this was fairly routine....

Jesus thats unbelieveable.
Can somebody in the trade confirm that it is possible to send off a log book for change of ownership with a date of transfer 18 months previous.

rugbyman

I strongly recommend you do not take the advice of those who suggest involving the guards or shannon, before going back to the dealer,who you say, treated you well and asking/demanding an explanation.

regards ,Rugbyman

Our man in Havana

mickdw wrote: »

Jesus thats unbelieveable.
Can somebody in the trade confirm that it is possible to send off a log book for change of ownership with a date of transfer 18 months previous.

Yes. I see no reason why not. The data entry people in Shannon just enter the dates on the form.