Among the risks that lie in wait for you when buying a used car, there is one worse than the others: buying a stolen car! Here are few tips that help you to avoid scams while buying a car.
Telephone contact is not possible.
Beware of a seller who can only be reached by email. If the vehicle he is selling really interests you, ask in the first email that he sends you his phone number (preferably landline). If your email remains unanswered, do not re-launch it.
Beware of cheap cars.
The sellers are not there to give you freebies! An ad that says “20% under argus” is likely to be suspicious, especially if the vehicle’s mileage is low.
The mention of “urgent cause departure” also deserves a minimum of caution. The seller may be in a hurry to get rid of an inconvenient vehicle.
The shot of the deposit.
After having unearthed the great opportunity on the Internet, you hasten to contact the seller by email. The latter, who will most often present himself as a professional, may then ask you for a deposit corresponding to 20% or even 30% of the value of the car in order to launch the purchase procedure or ensure its delivery. Once the deposit paid and the check cashed, no more news from the seller or the car.
No seller, private or professional, is entitled to claim a deposit for the purchase of a car. So never agree to pay a deposit, especially if you haven’t seen the car and met its seller.
Money transfer services.
Most scammers may ask you to pay them through a money transfer service like Western Union or Money Gram. This is convenient for them since it is impossible for you to verify the identity of the person who will then withdraw your money.
Money transfer services should only be used for people whose identity you know (relatives, friends). Western Union also specifies “that it is forbidden to use its services to directly pay for purchases of goods, in particular those made via the Internet.”
The adorned ads.
Writing a classified ad should be as precise as possible. From there to adding “automatic” to an air conditioning which is only manual, there is only one step that some sellers do not hesitate to take to earn a few hundred dollar extras. Air conditioning is only one example, and if the car you bought does not exactly match the ad text, you have the right to demand that the sale be canceled, in other words, the return of the car in exchange for the money you paid.
Always keep the classified ad to prove that it does not correspond exactly to the item that was sold to you. Contact the seller to take back the car and, if he resists your resolution request, threaten to go to court which, in any case, will win your case.
Check the history of the car
Unless you know the seller well, demand to see the car’s maintenance booklet as well as the invoices for any repairs. If the book and invoices no longer exist, do not buy!
Require ID
If he’s honest, your salesperson won’t be offended if you ask them to show you some ID. You will be able to verify that it is the same name that appears on the gray card. If this is not the case and you are told that the car sold is that of a cousin or a friend, again, go your way.
Indispensable: the two sets of keys.
All cars are sold with two sets of keys. The seller must be able to give them to you. Then check that the second set was not made in a fast locksmith.
The final transaction must take place at the seller’s home.
The purchase of a used car must be finalized at the seller’s home. And not just because it’s more comfortable than on the street or on the table at the corner cafe, but because it will allow you to verify that the seller’s address is the same as the one on the registration card.
No trial, no purchase!
If the salesperson refuses to let you try their car on the grounds that their insurance prevents them from giving the wheel to a stranger, give up.
And even if it offers you a test drive, don’t give in, it is very easy for an knowledgeable driver who is familiar with his car’s faults to discreetly adapt his driving to mitigate them or even hide them completely.
Does an ad seem suspicious to you?
On the internet, it is often possible to report a suspicious advertisement via the site or by sending an e-mail.
You also need to be aware when renting a car. Always try to rent a car in Karachi from a well reputed company. You can contact Carlay Car Rental, they have served a large numbers of satisfied customers.
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