Business ProfileforMotors Trade Group

As of March 3, 2022, Better Business Bureau (BBB) serving Metropolitan New York is alerting the public to concerning consumer allegations in two separate BBB Scam TrackerSM reports regarding Motors Trade Group, a purported online vehicle buyer and seller. The allegations relate to boat purchase transactions involving very large sums of money.

Both consumers accuse the company of deceptive practices relating to boat sales. One consumer claimed to have almost made a $30,000 purchase before her research led her to conclude “[the business] is not real,” while another consumer reported that the business stopped communicating with him after he wired $12,000 to pay for a boat.

“The internet is a great place to begin your vehicle search and compare prices,” said Claire Rosenzweig, President and CEO of the Metro New York Better Business Bureau. “But you should always inspect the vehicle in person before actually making your purchase.”

Motors Trade Group currently has an F rating with the Metro New York BBB. A website believed to be associated with the company—identified by both Scam Tracker complainants, independently—advertises a commission-free sales model, along with item collection, storage, and shipping.

There is no New York DMV registration for a boat dealer or yacht broker in the Manhattan zip code where the Motors Trade Group claims to be located, according to a Metro New York BBB check performed on March 2, 2022.

On December 8, 2021, the Metro New York BBB warned consumers to use caution when purchasing vehicles—particularly boats—through online marketplaces following an influx of complaints about two companies claiming to be Manhattan-based boat sellers, as reported by HamletHub on December 9, 2021.

Additionally, in September 2020, the International Association of Better Business Bureaus reported on a category of fraud called virtual vehicle vendor scams, through which cybercriminals use nonexistent vehicles and escrow companies to steal from consumers.

BBB Metro New York offers the following tips to help consumers avoid virtual vehicle vendor scams:
Watch for red flags, such as:

-The price is significantly below typical market cost.
-The seller is unwilling to meet for a vehicle inspection in person.
-Payment must be sent to a supposed third party recommended by the seller.
-Payment must be sent via gift card or bank-to-bank wire transfer.
-Perform an internet search for the photo of the vehicle, in case the photo may have been copied from another posting by a fraudster. You can also do an online search using an interesting sentence in the ad or the seller’s contact information to check whether there are similar ads by a supposedly different seller, or online complaints associated with that information.
-Use Whois to check on how long the website for an alleged escrow or shipping company has been active and verify that the time frame is consistent with the company’s online claims. Be wary if the website was established only recently.
-Avoid paying for a vehicle through money transfer companies such as Western Union, MoneyGram, or with a prepaid gift card, or other payment method that might make recovery of funds difficult or impossible.

Consumers can also visit BBB.org as well as https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker any time to check out a business, learn more about scams, and find additional consumer tips.