MANDEVILLE, Manchester — Police here are concerned that the used car industry, popular in this south-central town, is being targeted by scammers mimicking legitimate car marts, posting vehicles for sale online and swindling potential buyers.

“There is a new scam going on now where we have received at least two reports in the past week where persons are going to car marts, especially in Mandeville, to take photographs of cars there and put it up on their social media page to advertise it,” a police source told the
Jamaica Observer.

“For example, if a car is worth $3 million, they put it up there for $2 million and then ask for a down payment of $200,000 and say you must come for the car,” the source said while adding that the scammers are using established car sale websites as well.

“What happened is that people went on the website, saw it, and started communicating with these scammers. They transferred the money to the person’s account and when they turned up at the car mart they realised they had been scammed,” the source added.

Over the past few years Mandeville has seen a rapid growth in car marts on lands adjacent to Winston Jones Highway to Spur Tree Hill main road. Sources say there are more than 150 car marts in the Mandeville policing area.

With the proliferation of car marts, scammers are reportedly using the photos of cars on the lots with the marts’ location and sign captured.

“They are using people’s car mart sign, so when people turn up there they are seeing the car on the lot and are saying ‘I communicated with you and I transferred $200,000 to your account, so I am here to pay a further downpayment on the car’. They then realise it is not legitimately coming from the car mart,” said the source.

“We have two reports of that in the past week, but we understand that there are more, because people have turned up at other car marts demanding cars that they believed they made down payments for,” added the source.

It is believed the people from several parishes have fallen victims to the online fraud.

“The car marts are established and legitimate, but the payments are going to some scammers. People from Trelawny and other parishes are making down payment for cars. The scammers are getting more sophisticated, because of the fact that they are going to the car mart, taking photos of the cars, and even the name of the car mart that it is on and asking people to make wire transfers to particular accounts,” the source said.

“When the cars are advertised the scammers are getting calls and telling people that the downpayment is needed to secure the cars,” added the source.

The widespread nature of the online fraud has reportedly left the Manchester police deeply worried.

“Some of the car mart owners are making reports and complaining and we don’t want this scamming to lead to other crimes, because you don’t want to hear a man saying he paid for a car and people get shot, because he doesn’t get the car,” said the source.

Potential car buyers are being advised to avoid being swindled by checking in person the car marts or seller.

“Always meet at established meeting points in public space
— places that have recording and security. Recording meaning places that provide security and outdoor cameras, so you can see people and identify vehicles. If there is anything hanky-panky going on you can get help,” said another police source.

“Also, request to see documentation, because you want to be able to verify that the person who is selling the vehicle owns the vehicle or has the authority to sell it,” the source added.