Drivers thinking about buying a car online have been urged to follow one rule that can help them to prevent scams from charging them a fortune more than they expected.

With more car manufacturers moving away from physical dealerships, many motorists are planning to buy their next new or second-hand model online.

However, in order to prevent being conned, Daniel Briggs, CEO at the specialist emergency services, armed forces, and NHS car discount service provider Motorfinity, recommended that motorists only buy from an accredited company.

He advised: "Look for accreditations. Especially if you’re opting to buy your car on finance - every company who offers this should be Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulated.

"Also look out for approval from bodies such as Specialist Automotive Finance (SAF) which offers continuous training for staff to ensure they operate to the latest industry standards."

One of the easiest ways for a driver to tell whether a service has a good reputation is by looking for different accreditations, which will confirm that they are properly regulated by powerful authorities.

In particular, Motorfinity recommended looking for accreditation from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), especially if they are thinking about paying monthly for their vehicle.

Other notable organisations that good car dealerships will have accreditations from include the Chartered Trading Standards and Specialist Automotive Finance (SAF).

Daniel also suggested that drivers should also check for any negative reviews about the company on respected reviewing platforms, such as Trustpilot.

He added: "Whether it’s to protect against a complex scam, or simply to avoid experiencing bad customer service when making a purchase that should be exciting, reviews can be your window into how a business really operates.

"Of course, they shouldn’t be used in isolation when deciding whether to spend your money with a company or not, but having a good look at what previous customers have been saying – the more specific, the better – can help you to make your decision."