A disabled woman has been left £2,000 out of pocket after falling victim to an online scam.

Emma Hunt, 42, thought she was buying a van on Gumtree but it turned out to be a hoax.

She shelled out the £2,000 deposit to secure the vehicle but when her partner went to collect it, there was no sign of the van or seller.

Miss Hunt, of Egremont, said that the vehicle first caught her eye because it was advertised in St Bees for a bargain price.

She said:"The van seemed such good value. I didn't want it to go, so I rang and said I would pay a deposit.

"I had asked if I could see it first but the seller said he'd had a lot of interest from other people.

"He had a friendly Lancashire accent and was very charming. He said that his mother was disabled so I opened up about my disability."

Collection of the vehicle was at an address in Carlisle, so Miss Hunt sent her partner, who works in the city, to go and collect it.

However, when he knocked on the door, the couple who lived there knew nothing about the transaction and it became clear that the rogue trader had used a false address.

Miss Hunt said she phoned the seller and left several messages, but has received no response.

She has since reported the incident to the Action Fraud police and her bank, but has been told she will not be able to get the money back.

She said the transaction has been traced to a bank account in Bolton, but the funds were withdrawn straightaway.

Miss Hunt says she wants others to be cautious when buying online.

"I thought I was savvy but this happened. I don't want people to think they won't get caught out," she said.
Emma Hunt from Egremont has been the victim of an online scam involving the purchase of a van

"I've lost a dream - I just wanted a van with a lift so I can get in on my wheelchair."

Miss Hunt, who suffers from Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, a rare genetic condition that affects the connective tissue, said she couldn't bear to tell people what had happened at first.

She said: "Most people would be ashamed to come forward but it's about more than my ego.

"This has happened to me so could happen to anyone."

A Gumtree spokesman said: “Gumtree is committed to keeping its site as safe as possible and does not tolerate this sort of behaviour.

"We encourage all users to follow the safety advice on our website when buying and selling.

"We strongly discourage people from transferring any money in advance of seeing an item for sale, and advise people to take precautions when meeting someone in public.

"Anyone that thinks they may have come across a scam should report it to us immediately - our dedicated safety team can investigate and take action such as blocking the offender from the site and will aid the police in their investigation where necessary.”