He suggested dealerships across the UK should work together to introduce some form of identity checks at the point of purchase to ensure they are not caught out.
The move has now been backed by Sue Robinson, the Chief Executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA).
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Sue said: “Enhanced verification tools, especially for remote sales, would offer more thorough ID checks to validate individuals’ identities.
“This would reduce the likelihood of fake information being used and prevent identity theft.”
After being affected by the scammer, Mike admitted he would no longer be offering remote sales for vehicles.
He stressed his firm would be unable to keep taking £10,000 losses and announced a major U-turn to protect his company.
It means the only way drivers can buy a vehicle from his firm would be to visit his One Automotive base in Leamington Spa.
Sue didn’t go as far as calling for remote sales to be banned but did warn dealers using this service to take extreme precautions.
She told Express.co.uk: “It is crucial for dealers to implement effective strategies to mitigate risks when conducting remote sales. Utilising enhanced due diligence and verification tools can safeguard both dealers and their customers in these transactions.
“As Mike has emphasised, it is vital to ‘check everything’.”
However, Sue still warned that the introduction of ID checks at used car dealerships could also backfire among customers.
Asking for more details could put some prospective buyers off and could risk dragging out a fairly straightforward process.
The NFDA chief added: “It is essential to balance these robust measures with user convenience to avoid creating cumbersome processes for legitimate customers, particularly with dealerships being the front-facing end of the industry.”
