Imagine you’re selling your car, you have a buyer for your car, they’re going to pay you the money. Then they don’t, even worse is if they drive off with your car and you still don’t get paid. That is not ideal. We’re here to help you avoid scams and make sure that if you put in the mahi when selling your car, that you get the treats, the whole treats and nothing but the treats.
How Do You Get Scammed Selling a Car?
There’s a lot of ways to get scammed. They don’t pay, they waste your time, they trade a car that isn’t worth the alleged value of the trade etc etc. Basically you can get scammed any which way from Sunday. The most important thing is to learn what to look for, know what to avoid and trust your gut.
How Do You Avoid Scams?
Here’s a list of a few ‘go to’s’ to help you avoid a scam. Remember, any scam can be different and sometimes hard to spot. For this reason, never be afraid to say no to a buyer or to explain your concerns. A genuine buyer won’t mind and a fake one will get smoked out.
- Only take payment in accepted forms. That means cash, bank transfer, cheques, and agreed (and well assessed trades). Only take payment in these forms, that cannot be taken back once in your possession. This will stop you selling the car and not receiving funds.
- Check details, especially if they are taking possession of the car. Check a license and it’s becoming increasingly common to check ‘proof of funds’. Make sure you do this BEFORE a test drive and don’t even think about selling it to someone without an accepted form of ID.
- Think really heavily about trade offers. A trade can be good if it’s a car you want. However, if it’s a trade and cash their way, probably need to look into the ownership of the trade and the owner. Never give someone cash for something you can’t get possession of.
- Don’t go throwing a phone number around. This is a minor one, but be wary of having your phone number out in the open. Phone scammers can grab it and then that can be a real pain in the… Only give your number to serious and real people.
- No smoke without a fire. If you think someone is lying, deceiving you or is straight up shady, trust your gut and bail. You’ve got your car and you can sell it to someone else. No scammer is worth the hassle, unless you’re a prosecutor – if you are, good on you.
Selling a car can be a hassle and scammers can make it harder than it needs to be. Just remember to trust your gut and never be afraid to ask for evidence, explanations or to leave. Selling your car on Trade Me helps as you’re also dealing with verified buyers and can check their rating.
If you liked these tips you might like some more, check out our other articles on buying and selling here.