Watch Out For This Car Selling Scam in South Africa

featured image

Vehicle selling scams are on the rise across South Africa as opportunistic criminals take advantage of consumers who are merely trying to make their money stretch further by looking for the most affordable deal.  Unfortunately, this can leave you out of pocket and without a vehicle, and that is what ClickaCar wants to help you to avoid.

When it comes to identifying a scam, always remember this simple rule of thumb;  if it is too good to be true, it certainly is!

In order to grab your attention, and then your money, scammers will lure buyers in by advertising a vehicle far below the market value. Naturally, this type of advert will entice many buyers and to ensure that the car doesn’t go to another buyer, the "seller" will try to convince you to pay an upfront amount in the form of a “holding deposit” to secure the deal.

In a recent case study, a consumer saw a double-cab bakkie advertised on the internet for R100,000 below market value. Now for anyone, that is an extremely good offer and the buyer contacted the person who placed the advert.

When called, the seller said he was busy and would call later. Two hours later, the seller called and told the buyer that the response to the advert had been overwhelming, and in order to secure the purchase of the bakkie, they would need to pay an R80,000 “deposit” via an instant EFT.

Nonetheless, the seller did as instructed but 15 minutes after the payment was completed, the bank account was closed with no sign of the promised bakkie or the R80,000 deposit. 

For any consumer, losing that amount of money is both stressful and a serious financial burden, especially in situations where you and your family are desperate for reliable transport. That is why, with this case study still fresh in your mind, it's always best to ensure that you only deal with trustworthy and reliable dealers, such as the ClickaCertfied dealers who advertise in ClickaCar.

Don’t get caught out! Find a reliable vehicle from a reliable dealer in the ClickaCar Virtual Showroom.