5 Tips & tricks to avoid scam car buyers in the Philippines

There are a million reasons why a car owner might sell their car. It can be due to an urgent financial reason, a settlement for a divorce, planning to purchase a new car, moving out of the country and many more.

There are also a million people searching for a good buy due to the fact that a new car is expensive, demands a lot of documentary requirements to secure, or a few might just be scammers waiting to target a new victim and take advantage of the urgency of the situation.

With the help of technology, you can freely post an ad regarding your intention to sell your car. You have Craigslist, Facebook market, and groups, even on Instagram. All of which are feeding ground to scammers and bogus buyers.

Gone were the days that you have to print copies of your car’s image with your contact details listed below and post it around the neighborhood. You can also opt to contact a few of your friends who might be interested in a used car or might be searching for one.

If you are one among the many who wants to sell their car immediately, here are some tips from Philkotse.com you can follow to steer yourself away from scammers.

1. Check for the profile of your buyer

Once the notification bells ring in and a lot of people are interested to know the price, location and additional details pertaining to the car, filter out those who only seem interested after a few rounds of communicating with them.

Some may lose interest if the price range exceeds their budget, some cannot meet you up because your location and theirs is too far away, for those who seem genuinely interested, and you can check their profiles with a few background check.

You can visit their Facebook profile if the transaction or the ad is posted here and see if they are who they seem to be.In Craigslist, bogus buyers can communicate with you through a ghost email.

If you are not convinced, you can tell them to add you in your social media account or through messaging apps such as WhatsApp, Viber or even Skype and schedule a call with them. When they can’t seem to comply, that only means that you have debunked their prank.

Add your potential buyers on social media to know more about them

2. Be suspicious of a “smooth” deal

A buyer with the intention of securing a product will entirely be filled with questions and even scrutinize the legitimacy of your posting. That's only natural, they just want to get the best value out of their money. Especially that purchasing a used car incurs a hefty amount to complete the transaction.

Be wary of those who don’t seem to care or ask questions about the product. With just a few chats here and then the deal is done. Yes, it might be more comfortable and faster but, once the car is shipped and the payment is sent, the cash might not be there, or the check may bounce.

Be wary of those who don’t seem to care or ask questions about the product

>>> View more:

• Selling a car in the Philippines: Trade it in or sell it privately?
• Car Sold: What to Do After Sealing the Deal?

3. Trace where the money comes from

According to an insurance expert, most of the fraudulent scams came from unusual financing options. The most popular one is to insist the seller ship the car while he shoulders the expenses, wait for the check to arrive and when it comes to the encashment, it just bounced tragically like an underinflated basketball.

If it makes you secure with the transaction, agree to meet up with the buyer and inform him that you'd only take cash as payment for the car. If the buyer insists on a check, tell him that you can go to his location and watch him encash the cheque for you until you have the cash at your hands, it's a done deal.

According to an insurance expert, most of the fraudulent scams came from unusual financing options

>>> Worth to note the step-by-step guide to report your car scam case to the authorities.

4. Only meet-up at safe locations

Since you can really be sure with the transaction by meeting up with the seller, agree to meet up on locations that are safe. How can you be sure that the place is safe?

Look for security cameras around the area. For added protection, meet up in areas where people are present. Also, you can have somebody you trust to accompany you at the time of the meet-up.

You should not let the buyer command you to where the transaction will take place. In worst case scenarios, you’ll be exposing yourself in tragic incidents. Achieve at a compromise with your buyer. After all, if the buyer is really eager with securing the deal, he’ll be the one to go to you.

You should not let the buyer command you to where the transaction will take place

5. Avoid being caught in sob stories your buyer may tell

Your primary purpose is to sell your car because you have needs to address. If you get caught with the emotional stories your prospective buyer tells you, he can manipulate you into giving away the car under such horrendous terms.

Talk about someone who is a single mother,  raising four children, and needs a car to drive herself to work and to fetch her kids from school. Only to find out that she’s living with her husband, enjoying a seemingly happy life, and is just trying to take advantage of your soft spot for single moms just to get a bargain.

When you are trying to fulfill a financial transaction, you have to be civil with your buyer. You do not need emotion to fulfill it. If it turns out to be true, you can even give the person a discount after a secure background check and meeting up with the person. But until your gut says otherwise, don’t give in such emotionally manipulative tactics.

If you get caught with the emotional stories your prospective buyer tells you, he can manipulate you into giving away the car under such horrendous terms

Selling a car is like saying goodbye to something you’re used to having. It might not be as complicated as others think, but you are selling it for a particular reason. In this world, practicality must be exercised at all costs.

After all, you didn’t purchase that car for some sob stories and pithy remarks. You bought It with hard-earned cash, and it wouldn't be fitting to sell it and get nothing from the transaction.

In case you are looking for helpful tips and advice for your car selling, Philkotse.com is always a reliable source to visit.