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Vehicle report safety · Reviewed 26 October 2026

Buyer sent a vehicle report link?

If someone posing as a buyer insists that you buy a report from one particular website, pause before following the link or entering payment details. The request is a warning sign to investigate, not proof by itself that a person or company is fraudulent.

Why a buyer-selected report link deserves a check

The US Federal Trade Commission has described a vehicle-report scam in which supposed buyers direct online car sellers to a specific report website and ask them to pay. Its advice is to think twice, research the company independently and avoid sharing payment details with an unfamiliar site. This is a documented scam pattern; it does not establish that every report provider or every buyer request is a scam.

For UK and Ireland sales, the same practical precaution applies: you can choose how to respond, and you do not need to use a website selected by a stranger just to continue a conversation.

Safer steps before you click or pay

  1. Do not use the message link as your starting point. If you want to inspect the company, search for it independently and type the address yourself.
  2. Check who operates the site and what it costs. Read the terms, privacy information, contact details, report coverage and payment terms. Search for independent complaints or scam warnings.
  3. Keep your payment details private. Do not enter card or account information on a site you have not independently checked.
  4. Let the prospective buyer arrange a check they want. You can share a report you already have, but you do not have to purchase a new report from their chosen provider.
  5. Verify the vehicle separately. Compare the registration and VIN on the car with its documents. Use the relevant official record services and arrange an in-person inspection; no history report replaces seeing the vehicle.

Can another website verify the report for you?

Usually, only the issuing provider can confirm that its report is genuine and unchanged. A fresh lookup from a different company does not authenticate somebody else's PDF or prove that the PDF's data is correct. Ask the issuer through contact details you found independently, and compare the report date and vehicle identity with official records.

CarHistory.report does not authenticate PDFs issued by other providers. It is an independent service, not a government registry or certificate. Live providers for many history checks are not connected, so its own report may label those checks unavailable or not verified. Read how our reports work and inspect the demonstration sample before deciding whether the service suits your needs.

Check the price before you choose a service

CarHistory.report offers one dashboard report for £35, five reports for £85, and fifteen for £150. A report credit is used only when a dashboard report completes. API reports cost £2.75 each. Review the pricing section and Stripe checkout total before confirming payment.

Sources and related guidance

For a broader checklist, read how to check a used car's history in the UK and Ireland. If you receive a message claiming to be from CarHistory.report, contact us using the details on our About page, not contact details supplied in the message.