Scam targets dealership

A Dunedin car dealer has been targeted in an online scam which aims to dupe vehicle sellers into paying cash towards freighting their vehicles to Dunedin. Peter McCraken, owner of Rob McLellan Motors, says more than thirty private car sellers have contacted him since Monday seeking to verify apparent attempts by Rob McLellan Motors to buy vehicles via a bogus email address. The scammer has created an email address, and targets car-selling websites and print media, pretending to be Rob McLellan and offering to buy private cars. Rob McLellan, whose first name is Robin, sold the business 10 years ago. The scammer signs the emails as Robert. Police told him the target sellers would be asked to contribute to freighting costs to Dunedin. That money would then disappear. McCracken says no one had lost money from the scam, but he was worried some people could be duped, and about the reputation of his business.