A Salford man who exploited pandemic demand for vans by selling unsafe vehicles with fake service histories and wound-back odometers has been convicted of fraud. Rael Flavius Nicola, of Somerset Road, Eccles, received an 18-month sentence, suspended for 20 months, at Manchester Crown Court. He was also ordered to complete 250 hours of unpaid work and pay £23,600 in compensation to seven victims after being found guilty of nine fraud offences, including fraud by false representation and carrying on a business for a fraudulent purpose.
The investigation began in late 2020 after a surge in complaints about Nicola's online van sales. Salford Trading Standards officers discovered that Nicola, who sold second-hand vans through Facebook, had created fake service history books with counterfeit garage stamps to make vehicles appear properly maintained. He also instructed an accomplice to wind back odometers — known as “clocking” — to make vehicles seem less used and more valuable, and attempted to hide rust and corrosion with fresh paint.
Extensive fraud uncovered
Mileage on four vehicles scrutinised in the investigation had been reduced by 49,787 miles, 126,923 miles, 164,348 miles, and one by 272,499 miles. Nicola also falsely told customers that vehicles were insured to drive away at the point of sale, despite no such insurance being in place, and misled buyers into believing vehicles came with a six-month warranty that later proved fictitious.
The vans were stored at Orchard Sawmills, Langley Road South, Salford. During the investigation, officers found that Nicola had used 15 different aliases when registering vehicles with the DVLA and dealing with customers. One alias was Robbinu Nicola — meaning “robbing you” in Romanian. The scale of the fraud led Salford council officers to receive funding support from National Trading Standards, allowing two local officers to focus solely on the investigation.
Impact on victims
Salford Trading Standards officer Valmai Jones said the vans were sold across the UK, with complainants coming from as far away as the Isle of Wight, Belfast, Peterborough, Gravesend, and Wales. Officers seized documentation covering sales over two years, finding invoices for 84 vehicles with a total sale price of £258,000. Nicola's turnover for 2019 and 2020 was a quarter of a million pounds.
One witness described driving on the motorway when the bonnet flew up because the catch was broken. When he contacted Nicola about the fault and the lack of an MOT, he was told: “Don't ring me again or I am going to come and burn your house down.” Jones said people were scared to come forward, and only seven of the 84 buyers contacted agreed to be witnesses.
Sentencing and warnings
In sentencing, the court took into account the sustained and deliberate nature of the offending, the deception of multiple victims, the financial losses incurred, and the intimidation used to suppress complaints. Councillor Barbara Bentham, Salford City Council's lead member for Neighbourhoods, Environment and Community, said the case highlights the serious harm fraudulent traders can cause and thanked National Trading Standards for its financial support.
Lord Michael Bichard, Chair of National Trading Standards, described the case as a “calculated deception” that cost victims significant sums and put them in danger by leading them to believe they were driving roadworthy, insured, and legally compliant vehicles. He said the sentence demonstrates that those who seek to profit through dishonesty can expect to be investigated and held to account.
Consumers concerned about rogue traders can report issues to Trading Standards via the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 0808 223 1133. Salford Trading Standards officers advise buyers to be wary of traders who only operate online, use multiple names, or refuse to provide a fixed business address, and to independently verify that a vehicle is taxed, has an MOT certificate, and is insured before purchase.
