// Case Studies
Buying a car: spotting the advance-fee trap
The deal is too good: a sought-after vehicle well below market value, supposedly via a well-known auction or escrow platform. You are asked to pay upfront — before you have ever seen the car. Behind the 'escrow' links there is often a fraud cluster using throwaway, imitated domains. The car does not exist; the money is gone.
Updated: 2026-07-11
How the case was handled
- 1Verify the seller and platform independently — not via the links in the listing.
- 2Never pay before an in-person inspection.
- 3Be suspicious of prices well below market plus time pressure.
- 4Check the domain age and legal notice of the 'escrow' site — fresh domains are a red flag.
- 5Use only traceable payment methods; report the incident to police and the consumer advice centre.
What to avoid
- Do not pay by instant transfer, crypto or gift cards.
- Do not trust 'escrow' links sent by the seller.
- Do not skip the inspection — not even for 'import' excuses.
- Do not act under artificial time pressure.
How SKOPION helps
SKOPION checks the infrastructure of such platforms and domains from externally accessible sources, attributes fraud clusters and documents the result — passively and traceably.
Confidential enquiryFAQ
- How do I recognise a fake auction or escrow site?
- By very fresh or imitated domains, a missing or false legal notice, forced upfront payment and payment only via links sent by the seller.
- Isn't real escrow safe?
- Reputable escrow is chosen by you — not the seller. A sent 'escrow' link is a red flag.
- I already paid — what now?
- Contact your bank immediately (check recall), preserve evidence and file a report.