AutoTrader
reviews and complaints

I too was a victim of a scam on autotrader. Found a vehicle for appoximately 9, 000 sent money to seller, never received vehicle. However a week before I sent the money I contacted Auto trader because I could not reach the seller via the email address. They inturn took the ad off their publication but not off the website eight days later I informed them this ad was a scam and requested my money back. Their attorney sent me a long letter explaining why ATC was not responsible. I said if you would have taken the ad off the internet when you took it out of your publication I may not have been victimized. Also they published day after the scam that the ad was removed by "sellers request". I believe if they would have put on their ad ad was removed by ATC this would have allerted the public to a potential problem. There is no telling how many others got vitimized through this ad. I called DA, attorney general, congressman, senator, BBB IC3 and given President Obama nothing will be done because it does not meet any criteria of $150, 000 in damages. No attorney will take this because there is not enough money in this. I hope we can bind together and start a class action lawsuit against AutoTrader.Com.

On march 31st.i was seaching for a used car, i found two cars, i was suppose to e-mail them & give my tel.one car was Listed under.
AD ID [protected] .200 hnoda accord $3800.i recieved e-mail with e-bay logo on it telling me that i can have the car, term & caondtions were listed with all bells & wesells.i must send the money thtough Western Union & only through them .and as soon as they recieve the money fax info.they well go ahead and send the car.After i sent the money they told me the bidding on the car changed the price to $5700.00 when i contacted the buyer with the name jenna i told her the price was $4200 she told me she well send me $1500 back .its just for the computer.the price is$5700.seller name Jenna Heeadley(jenna.[protected]@msn.com).
the next day i selected another car2001 Honda accord LX.AD ID [protected].$3800.00Seller name Eric Brennan(eric.[protected]@yahoo.ca)..ame request to send money with Western union as well.Agentchristian Dodos london UK.
The Agent for $5700.00.Joseph Galen, Guildhall, pobox 270, London
I used your web site i have been scammed $9500.00.Its not faire.I need your help i need my money.Rober Afanih [protected].
.After i send my money, no more e-mail .no more news . pls help.

Autorader is a rip off place to purchase vehicles. Every week I look through vintage cars, and every single week there are postings for corvettes and other muscle cars for a fraction of their costs.

How can autotrader consistently get away with postings the same car in multiple provinces, allow postings with no telephone number, and not ahve any clue as to car values?

The people who work at autotrader are irresponsible idiots who will do anything for a buck. They should be held responsible for advertising fraudulent listings. Anyone with any level of intelligence can recognize these fraudulent adverts (except the stupid people at Autotrader.

Check this out:

Autotrader.ca Ad: (price = 14K)
http://www.autotrader.ca/used_cars_Cars_details/HAMILTON_Ontario_1966_CHEVROLET_CORVETTE+_3836023.html?srcid=1904578&source=24&pgno=7&srt=7&CompanyID=&r=quebec

First clue: duhhhhhhhh - no telephone number
second clue - price extremely low
third clue - (gotta love this - posted for 72K elsewhere, word fo word)

Real ad - listing and pictures used word for word:
$72K US
http://www.corvettesandmusclecars.com/dealerfiles/ListingView.asp?ListingID=54

I contacted Autotrader.com on behalf of my son, regarding a vehicle of interest. Autotrader forwarded our information to the seller of the vehicle. As per the requirements of Autotrader, we dealt with the seller from then on. Autotrader was given information and proof this particular ad and seller were frauds and removed the ad replacing it with "this ad has been removed at the sellers request". We assumed the seller removed the ad as we agreed to purchase the car. Autotrader negligently did not notify any of the customers who inquired about the particular ad of this scam. They were aware of it well before my son sent the "seller" $3, 000 and has not received, nor will he receive said car. If Autotrader had informed us (and many others I am sure as this scam artist was VERY good), my son would not be out his only savings for a car. If AutoTrader.com would have replaced the ad with a warning that that particular ad was a fraud/scam, we would not have completed the transaction and been taken for his money. I have contacted the FBI and filed a complaint. I have proof and documents of every contact with both AutoTrader.com and the so called seller. AutoTrader.com had a duty to their customers to put them on notice that there was the potential of a scam once they were informed and they failed to do so in so much as I feel they acted as an accomplice in aiding the "seller" to take my son's money. They were the ones who told me about it after I called regarding the status of the shipment of the car. I want my son to get his money back and that is all. Obviously the seller (as was reiterated by autotrader) used a bogus name and address. Autotrader's disclaimer states they are not responsible for any damages other than direct damages. That is all we are asking for and they refuse. I sent them all of the documents I saved. I can do the same for you...My son just wants his money back so he can buy a car and start college.

My complaint concerns the following: My dissatisfaction, for the third time, during my call with one of the Sales Representatives (Tyler) today (07/17/2009) regarding my concerns on my bank account being charged without authorization for the amount of $424.53. I had spoken with a lady called “Kay” (If spelled the right way) about my situation that I was working before with the lady that does their transactions over the phone. She told me that she had talked about it with the management and that they had agreed to change my due date to the 15th but in their system the late fees where still appearing. This hadn’t been a problem until now even thought I asked various times for their people to remove those late fees from my record and they said they “could not do that”. Kay indicated that she could not process the amount I gave her but asked me for my credit card information just to have it in file so that when the lady in charge of the credit card transactions get there she would call me. This happened 07/15/2009. I never received a call that day so I called back the next day and Kay told me once again that she would call and they where not going to process my card until they spoke to me. I checked my account yesterday night, after not receiving a call from anyone once again and they had processed my card without my authorization.

Hello everyone!
I just want to warn you to not buy any vehicle through www.autotrader.com or www.autotrader.ca
There is a lot of scam there, usually it is cheap luxury cars like lexus BMW and etc.
Be aware! THERE IS NOT SUCH THING EBAY MOTORS AS A THIRD PARTY.
All these dealers usually tell that they are going through a divorce and that is the reason they are selling the car so cheap.
BE SAFE!

I purchased a vehicle from the autotrader site. 6 mos later I called autotrader and I listed the car for sale. I got a few calls the first 2 days and I checked my ad on autotrader and my car was listed. Then I didn't get any calls, two weeks later I went to the website my car cannot be found. I called customer service they said they cannot list my car because the old owner still has it listed as for sale. I own the car for the last 6 months. They told me we can list your car without the VIN number. When I bought the car the first thing I checked is the VIN before I purchase it. So how am I going to sell the car without the VIN, anyone who looks at the ad will be scared away thinking it is a stolen or rebuit vehicle. I told autotrader to list my ad with the VIN or return my money. My ad is still not listed on the site and they sent me an email sorry about your bad luck we don't refund. And the old owner still has the car listed as of 3/25/09 Car ID: AT-E9EF01D Feel free to check it out.

Note: If you buy a car from autotrader make sure the person who sells you the car signs for you a document that he is willing to remove his ad because autotrader will take your money and they will not list your car with the VIN and they have no control over their own website to remove fake ads.

This company, run by scam salesmen Brent, Ben and George sold my child a Volvo S40. 1. This car does not go into park without smacking on the gear. 2. The remote that was SUPPOSED to go with the car, was not given to her-so she can't open the trunk 3. They had to switch from one car to another and they gave her this 'trade' with an empty tank, after she had filled the other car that also did not work. 4. The lug nuts were so loose, that her tires could have fallen off while she was driving it. (The garage we took it to, asked, 'Which jerks sold her a car with loose lug nuts? They should lose their business! Their lack of professionalism could have killed the driver.') 5. The brights only work when they feel like it. 6. We have called and called and called and called and no one, and I mean NO ONE will return a phone call. We have left 20 messages. 7. Today, we called again and they hung up on us. 8. We bought a warranty and still have not received the warranty in the mail- after 2 months.

I don't care WHAT lines and lies they tell you about 'it being too bad that the PREVIOUS OWNERS of Accurate Automotive did not take care of their customers. And now these NEW owners are going to change the business into an honest business' It is all lies and scams. BEWARE of these SCAM SALESMEN!

I saw a 2005 Corolla listed for $3500 on Autotrader. I thought it was probably too good to be true, but e-mailed the seller out of curiosity. This car that was originally listed as being located only 10 miles or so away from where I live in Ohio was now located in Texas according to 'Greg'. How convenient... he said he had just moved. He also told me we'd do the transaction via Moneybookers. I found Moneybookers online, which was an escrow service ran out of the UK. Why would he a service out of UK?

I also discovered the car was no longer listed at all on Autotrader- not in Ohio and not in Texas. Oh and the shipping of the car was included in the $3500 price tag, which further provoked my need to delve into some research. He even gave me a VIN number when I asked for it. I was beginning to smell ### though and decided against paying to get a carfax report. Instead, I stumbled upon complaintsboard.com thanks to my handy googling work and read similar reports.

Sorry 'bout your luck Greg...

Sells cars with fake warranty documents and won't honor any claims even though the repairs were approved by them. the phone number on the warranty card is bogus and the warranty is a fake self funded GUARANTEE scheme, saving them from any service costs under the warranties conditions. We bought a car from them and paid £290 to extend the warranty to a year.
They carried out the pre delivery work and service themselves and stamped the book themselves. When we got car home it had a fault caused by them, they agreed to reimburse the cost of repairs and recommended a local garage, the local garage said the unit had been fitted wrongly by them.

We sent them the invoice and have telephoned about ten times to be fed various holiday and sickness stories and told twice the cheque was in the post a couple of months have now passed and still no payment. We were given the impression that the vehicle came with a warranties and a service under the warranty conditions by a approved garage.

We paid £290 for a bogus warranty that they wont honor.