TRADING Standards have issued a warning following a successful car sale scam prosecution.

It follows a recent case at Wigan Magistrates' Court in which a motor dealer who bumped up prices of cars before advertising a £500-off sale was fined £4,000.

Paul Tarney, sole proprietor of Hindley Green Motors, Atherton Road, was found guilty under the Consumer Protection Act 1987 of making false and misleading sale offers.

He was also ordered to pay costs of £1,297 towards Wigan Council, whose Trading Standards officers took the action after comparing car prices before and after the promotion.

They discovered that some cars had been increased in price by £500 -- the same amount as the discount being offered.

The court heard that on September 17, 2001 Hindley Green Motors placed an advert in the local press which was misleading as to the price at which an R registered Honda Civic was available. The amount of saving being advertised was not genuine.

Misleading prices were also attributed to an R registered Ford Escort Si estate, a P reg Citroen Saxo and a P reg Rover 216Sli.

Mr Tarney's argument that it was his salesman who organised the sale and that he had no personal knowledge of it was dismissed by the court, who found that he was still liable for the offences.

Chief trading standards officer, Alan Blundell, said: "Increasing the price of a product so that a reduction can be offered in a bogus sale is the kind of dodgy dealing which affects not only the unwitting customers, but harms the reputation of other businesses advertising genuine sale offers. This sort of scam will not be tolerated."

"The department operates a "Fair Play Charter" which is awarded to car sales businesses which meet our standards of fair and honest trading. Details can be obtained on 01942 827666 or from the council's website."