Classified advertisements placed by individuals in [newspapers] and magazines are not covered by the Advertising Standards Authority's " [code] of practice". If you happen to buy goods that have been wrongly described in such an advertisement, and have lost money as a result, the only thing you can do is bring a case against the person who placed the advertisement for misrepresentation or for breach of [contract]. In this case, you would use the small claims procedure, which is a relatively cheap way to sue for the recovery of a debt. If you want to pursue a claim, you should take into account whether the person you are suing will be able to pay damages, should any be[awarded]. Dishonest traders are [aware] of this and often pose as private sellers to [exploit] the legal loopholes that exist: that is, they may claim they are not in a position to pay damages.