How the scam works:

You are ready to buy a car and schedule a visit to the dealership. You don't buy a new car every week, so you decide it's a good idea to bring along a friend who has auto experience. You ask them to give you a signal or intervene if the salesperson is trying to take advantage of you during the negotiation.

You pick out your car and the three of you head into the sales office for a more detailed discussion. The salesperson presents you with all the terms and gives you a few moments to discuss. When they leave, your friend tells you all of their reservations about the deal. After a few minutes the salesperson returns. The discussion goes really well: they know exactly what to tell you to get to you to buy today and you do.

What you didn't know is that they left the intercom on and listened to your entire conversation in the next room. You might have been able to talk the car down even further if they didn't already know your hand.

How to avoid:

It's not a bad idea to leave the dealership and come back, or go for a 5-minute walk with your friend.

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