In a shocking turn of events, a car buyer in Arcadia recently discovered that the vehicle they had purchased turned out to be a rental car in an elaborate scam. The buyer, who is a car dealer himself, had been contacted by some middlemen, also known as ‘masondosi’, with an offer too good to resist. The buyer was interested in purchasing a Mazda CX5 for $10,000, but little did they know that they were about to fall victim to a car scam.
The buyer and the seller, who identified himself as Daniel Chengo, met in Arcadia to inspect the car and negotiate the price. After agreeing on a price of $7,000, the buyer paid a down payment of $5,000 and was to pay the remaining $2,000 by the end of the month. Everything seemed fine until a few days later when another CX5 parked next to the buyer, and the true nature of the purchased vehicle was revealed.
Two ladies and a guy approached the buyer, claiming to be from a car rental company. They explained that the vehicle the buyer had purchased was actually a rental car and was due for return. It turns out that the seller, Daniel Chengo, had rented the car from the rental company and then sold it to the unsuspecting buyer. The rental company had tracked the car using a car tracker and located the buyer.
The buyer, now facing the loss of both the car and the money they had paid, immediately contacted the police and the car was impounded for further investigation. The buyer is devastated and is seeking help to locate the seller, Daniel Chengo, who is now nowhere to be found. They have shared pictures and contact information in the hope that someone can help them locate him.
In a related fraud case involving a car rental, socialite Mai TT was sentenced to 12 months in prison for theft of trust property. Mai TT allegedly borrowed $10,000 from a local businesswoman and surrendered a hired vehicle as collateral. However, it was later revealed that the vehicle did not belong to Mai TT but to a car rental company. The car rental company accused Mai TT of theft of trust property, leading to her arrest and subsequent conviction.
Mai TT, however, is serving an effective 9 months in prison after the magistrate suspended 6 months of her 12 month sentence on the condition that she does not commit a similar offence within the next five years. Therefore, the effective prison term amounts to six months.
In addition to the conviction for theft of trust property, Mai TT also faced consequences for defaulting on a previous community service sentence. Having failed to complete 105 hours of community service 8 years ago for a 2015 conviction, she was given an additional three-month prison term for this offence. In total, Mai TT was sentenced to serve nine months in custody.
This unfortunate incident serves as a reminder of the importance of being cautious when buying cars, especially online. Here are some tips to avoid falling victim to car scams:
Beware of deals that seem too good to be true. Scammers often try to rush the transaction and get your money before you have time to think.
Establish phone contact with the buyer or seller to verify their legitimacy.
Trust your instincts. If something feels fishy or sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Report scams to the appropriate authorities.
Car scams are, unfortunately, a reality in today’s world, and it is important for buyers to be vigilant and cautious when making purchases. This recent incident serves as a reminder to always verify the legitimacy of the seller and to trust your instincts when something feels off. By following these tips and being aware of common car scams, buyers can protect themselves from falling victim to fraud.
Source iHarare
