How not to get scammed when buying a second-hand car

Like any scam out to con unsuspecting or unknowing individuals, questionable methods of buying or selling vehicles have become a worrying and familiar trend of the last few years.

Most recently, the words “vehicle” and “scam” are likely to be associated and remembered most from the infamous “Drive a new car for R699 a month” campaign that became increasingly popular in 2008, until it was discovered to be nothing more than a scam six years later.

Last year, radio station 702 reported of an online car dealing service called YapYap Car Deals which offered no residual payments on a specific repayment amount. It was subsequently discovered that the monthly instalments were in fact higher than those originally mentioned, the residuals were also higher and no documents needed to be signed.

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At the same time, the advertisement displayed by the service, while mentioning the price, didn’t stipulate the time frame of the payments which, according to consumer expert Wendy Knowler, who spoke to the station, contravened the national consumer act.

In addition, a number of dealers also fell victim to the scam with some not realising it to be YapYap deal Knowler revealed. At present, no new details about the saga have been uncovered.

How to spot a car scam

With similar methods likely to increase or become more prevalent as consumers look to buy a car for the cheapest possible price, vehicle dealership chain AutoPedigree has provided a series of tips to consumers on how to identify a possible scam.

These include:

• Selling of an ordinarily expensive or good-looking vehicle at a lower than expected price;
• Refusal to meet in person with the vehicle in question;
• Asking for payments before a test drive or seeing of the vehicle in person;
• Questionable online details or a fake website;
• Insisting on using a payment method or platform where the transaction cannot be reserved.

In addition, the chain also urges consumers to be wary of the likelihood of the provided images being stolen from a reputable dealership.

Signs that you’re being scammed

At the same time, Arrive Alive has called on consumers to pay attention to the following methods that could identify the deal as being a scam:

• Seller insisting on an usual financing request;
• Immediate transfer of the full amount;
• Fake email address or provision of little to no contact details;
• Unwillingness to speak via phone;
• Sympathetic stories in order to convince the seller to buy;
• Obtaining of insurance;
• Telling interested buyers that many people have inquired about the vehicle in order to speed-up the transaction;
• Not providing details of the vehicles relating to condition or history;
• Using the same image over and over again with the details and possibly the price of the vehicle changing.

The association has the following tips in order to avoid being taken for a ride and therefore scammed:

• Ask the identity of the seller, dealership and contact numbers;
• Be wary of so-called curbstone dealers where a seller pretends to be a private seller in order to avoid complying with dealer regulations or requirements;
• The most prominent: identify and check the VIN number of the vehicle in question;
• Address of the seller and registration documents of the vehicle;
• Question the value of the vehicle if the price seems too good to be true;
• Query the vehicle’s odometer and features which could be inaccurate;
• Do your own research about the vehicle and question the seller about a number of aspects such as engine size, features etc;
• Insist on paying with cash as this is likely to prevent the seller being in possession of your banking details. Agree to meet in a bank if the seller insists otherwise;
• Ask a knowledgeable party such as a relative or friend about the vehicle you are interested in;
• Mechanical: walk away if the seller refuses intervention or presence of an expert with mechanical knowledge when you enquire about seeing the vehicle in person;
• Go on a long drive to get a feel of the vehicle;
• Ask as many questions as you can.

Supplied by AutoTrader, buyers can check or verify the VIN number of a vehicle by logging on to www.vehiclecheck.co.za and following the steps. As indicated, the supplied details carries a price of R99.