r/Kenya • u/Honest-Signal6573 • 8h ago
Ask r/Kenya Help me understand the scam
Put up my car for sale through a broker last night. At 5am he called me saying someone expressed interest in buying it and was on his way from Naivasha to view and test drive.
The buyer arrives at around 7 am. But I had work and informed them I could free myself up at lunch hour for the test drive. Additionally, they had not bothered to confirm my availability for the day, aliambia broker ako njiani at 5am.
We met with the broker at lunch hour for the test drive. The prospective buyer turns out to be a group of 4 men. They come inspect the car, take pictures and only request to start running the engine. They then say they are ready to buy it, no test drive done and they do not attempt to bargain the price or ask questions on the history of the car.
I kept feeling something is not making sense since the 5AM call. I intentionally did not go with the log book to the meeting.
The guys then call someone and tell him that gari iko sawa and state the price at what I quoted + 100K. So ata mwenye ananunua hayuko hapo. They say they are ready to pay immediately.
I tell them log book iko mbali, they insist on paying and going with the car saying we will initiate the transfer later. Their urgency to buy the car seems too rushed and I get so uncomfortable with the whole transaction. I tell them sioni biashara ikiingiana leo because I am feeling rushed since the 5am call.
I ended up refusing to sell because something wasn't making sense about their behaviour, I felt there was a con scheme going on.
If you know what the catch/con was please nichanue.
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u/Big-Forever-7390 7h ago
Don't take cash at whatever cost. Let it be a bank transfer and confirm money is in your account. I've heard of someone being paid 600k in fake money. He found out it was fake when he went to deposit. They buyer had concocted a story as to why he can't transfer via bank.
Don't let them test drive peke yao. Wataenda wakiendaga. In your case the broker is part of the scam. So he'll help them disappear.
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u/Honest-Signal6573 2h ago
It felts unusual why the broker was pushing me to sell yet I wasn't comfortable with the specific men
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u/ArtisticParticular20 4h ago
I just read a story huku yesterday of someone who sold materials in a hardware worth 500K, the person paying wasn't physically there, insisted on making a bank payment, and on receiving the bank details immediately deposited a cheque instead of RTGS. Obviously buyer didn't know.
You check your app after deposit and it shows as actual balance but available balance remains the same. They don't tell you it is a cheque deposit. I'm sure you know what happens next. Cheque bounces, car is gone by the time you realize. I'm pretty sure this was the con game.
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u/Zenmiser 8h ago
Never hand over goods before receiving payment. They had no intention of paying. Your car would be across the border in hours.
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u/FormerEntertainer159 Nairobi City 3h ago edited 3h ago
your car would have been used for a crime.
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u/Sweet-Rasperry 5h ago
Trusting your instincts was really smart.
I think there some possible cons but the most likely when you mentioned 4 men. I thought they were planning to lure you to another location and rob you along the way. Then tie you in a tree(if they are not the killing types) na wavukishe gari border before your saved and file a police report na tracking ianze.
Possibly the buyer is there but not a Kenyan buyer.
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u/Pitiful_Sector6641 2h ago
Those 4 men sound like some 4 men who poised to buy a used car. On the way to the bank hapo industrial area, the pull a gun on the seller and push him out of the moving car. You’d rather sell to someone you know. Wishing you the best of luck
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u/Winz54321 29m ago
You never ignore a gut feeling. The body can know before the mind catches up. I sold through Peach Cars, gave me some peace of mind. If in Nairobi try them rather than fishy brokers
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u/peePPP-3742 2h ago
Something similar happened two years ago. Guy came from naivasha (but he was the buyer) with his bro and family, paid, left with the car and he wasn't a con.
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u/Honest-Signal6573 1h ago
Yours is a positive experience. Now this one who wasn't the buyer but a middle man accompanied by 3 other men, gave off vibes za kunikaribisha Nairobi
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u/genghis_stan 4h ago
Maybe they wanted to do the cheque scam
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u/Honest-Signal6573 2h ago
Oh the bouncing cheque that never clears. They were so insistent on saying the money will reflect kwa account.
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u/genghis_stan 2h ago
Ni hiyo walikua wanataka,, extra cash for you to not think twice when it reflects and urgency to flee after the transaction. Stillness helps a lot.
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u/AutomaticBuddy7744 1h ago
You are scared for nothing huku Mombasa brokers will give you money after driving it inside your compound and it’s only reverse and forward then reverse forward again They don’t bother about log book watsoever transfer mutafanya tu
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u/donmarsh 32m ago
Probably the other guy deposits a cheque. When you check your balance it seems that they have paid but cheque bounces in a few days.
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u/god_snowey Visiting 7h ago
Kama gari iko in mint condition kuna watu hawana shida na kubuy biz iishe haraka
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u/BreakfastOk2595 Nairobi City 5h ago
Things don't always have a specific, fixed timeline in order to happen. If they were willing to do the cash transfer (ofc via bank) and you can see the amount on your account, you should have closed the deal. Emotions are the biggest culprit of self-sabotage.
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u/Kauffman888 4h ago
I agree that OP should have maybe let the deal go a bit further, but the 4 men thing is a bit odd. Unless it was a broker trying to make the 100k and his friends came along for the joyride (delivering the car to the real buyer). OP, what type of car is it you're selling?
The hurry could have been trying to rush the real buyer to pay for the car so they get their commission before said buyer can raise any objections about car.
Of course maybe it was a plan to steal the car. It's hard to know these days.
Advice: 1) As others have said never let people test drive without you being present (you the owner not a broker).
2) Never hand anyone the keys if you're not inside the car.
3) Don't carry their friends if it's a test drive. Just one driver and yourself.
4) As others have said make sure the money has reached your account first. If they insist on cash take them to the bank to deposit it for you. Or to have the bank check the notes. If they refuse you know why.
5) If they are to pay in installments make an agreement with YOUR lawyer (yours not theirs), take ID copies, photos of them and ask to see where they reside if you feel it's necessary. The agreement should place all liability for fines, traffic offences, accidents, injury, harm and damage to the vehicle on their shoulders.
6) Always do logbook transfer immediately unless they are paying in installments (in case of installments the agreement will prove the car was not in your possession in case of anything), to prevent them racking up fines in your name. Hence carry the logbook but no need to disclose that you have it until the deal is done, unless they are seeking microfinance or similar.
7) Never meet in the dark or a secluded place and avoid meeting at your place of work or residence. Meet at a supermarket with paid parking that requires you keep the ticket or chip coin to exit - and keep the ticket or chip coin in your pocket. If they jump you they can't leave without breaking through the barrier which would force security to intercept them. Somewhere with cameras is best.
8) Never leave keys with a broker.
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u/Honest-Signal6573 2h ago
Something really felt odd about the deal. I am selling a 2012 Toyota Passo, it is in good condition but not that good of a condition to take it immediately no questions asked.
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u/Kauffman888 2h ago
If they were brokers (as the 100k they added to the price on that phone call would suggest) they don't care about the condition as long as it starts they assume it will drive then the actual buyer. Of course thieves don't care either.
Anyway a Passo is likely to be bought for use as an Uber so you'll probably find lots of brokers wanting it.
How much are you looking for?
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u/Honest-Signal6573 1h ago
I'd like to trust they were thieves. Also they took so many photographs of the car while inspecting it. I am selling it at 440K. I have decided to look for a buyer myself, hii maneno ya broker siwezani.
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u/BreakfastOk2595 Nairobi City 3h ago
This is even better explained, I agree... Also OP can give the car to a dealership for them to sort out the details so she doesn't feel overwhelmed.
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u/Regular_Rush_3377 5h ago
Shida ni Gani tena? Kama hawataki kutest drive gari na kubargain ni shida Yao.. Bora tu pesa isome kwa account
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u/Kindly-Database-8112 7h ago
Wueh.
That slight delay saved you.
Ukiona mtu anakuharakisha hivi story na pesa, ondokea.