Richard Mark Wallace (59) was arrested after featuring on a television “wanted” program in New Zealand.
He is alleged to have stolen about $55,000 in deposits from 13 car buyers who did not receive their vehicles.
Trade Me head of trust and safety Jon Duffy said Wallace advertised deals on Japanese imported vehicles through classified advertisements on Trade Me and his own website, which has been taken down.
Mr Duffy said Wallace’s alleged practice of using legitimate dealers as a front made it difficult to stop him.
Wallace was arrested in Auckland on April 12.
Trade Me issued a warning on its website two weeks ago and also informed police about Wallace’s activities.
Mr Duffy said this sort of scam was rare, but Trade Me was alerted to Wallace’s activities by complaints from member who had dealt with him.
“The vast majority of vehicle trades go off without a hitch, but there are some things that you need to watch out for. If the deal seems too good to be true, then it probably is,” Mr Duffy said.
“Legitimate vehicle traders don’t typically ask for a 50 per cent deposit to help import the vehicle.”
Mr Duffy said customers should seek a second opinion before signing a contract relating to vehicle imports.
Wallace, who used numerous aliases including George Auckland and is believed to have also operated in the US, is due to reappear in the Auckland District Court on June 6 on 13 counts of obtaining by deception.
By Neil Dowling
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