A distressed Kenyan on Saturday, February 11, shared how he lost money in a fake online car deal in Nairobi.
According to the victim, the conmen posed as a popular car dealership in the city enticing him with photos of a car going for Ksh2.4 million.
In the process of acquiring the Subaru levorg, the victim was asked to send a deposit of Ksh700,000. He, however, agreed to send Ksh450,000 which he had, a request that the dealer accepted.
The two agreed to meet at 2 pm along Kiambu Road for the car viewing and seal the deal. However, things did not go as planned.
In a well-calculated scam, the car dealer shared numerous photos of the vehicle to convince the buyer of the legitimacy of the deal.
A section of Kenyans who reacted to the con game was puzzled about how the conmen managed to access the said car yard.
Kenyans were cautioned against paying deposits before inspecting the vehicle they intend to buy.
Additionally, while buying cars online, motorists were urged to be on high alert for stolen cars, forged identities, suspiciously large discounts, and fake car auctions.
To avoid being scammed online, Kenyans are encouraged to do a background check on the dealer, and demand to test the vehicle before proceeding to close the deal.
In March 2022, Kenyans from the coastal part of the country lost millions to a company posing as a genuine car dealer.
According to reports, the company used online advertisements to entice interested buyers with the 'quick sale to clear stock' as well as a deal offering special giveaways to buyers of second-hand cars.
To make the deal even more attractive, buyers were only required to pay only 30 per cent of the total cost and pay the rest within 48 months. These gimmicks attracted numerous Kenyans who ended up losing their money.
