You may lose everything, your car, freedom, and even your life in some cases when you buy stolen cars. Stolen cars are always very cheap compared to other cars in the same condition, because of this, so many people fall into this trap and most end up in the police net for a crime they know nothing about. Most times people lose their lives as a result of what you bought with your hard-earned money. Some criminal elements always say that they are very cheap and that they can outsmart the security agencies and the owner, but one thing is always sure, 99 days are for the thief and one day belongs to the owner. This article will focus on tips on how to avoid buying stolen cars in Nigeria.
How to avoid buying a stolen car in Nigeria
- Check the VIN: This is always useful when you are buying a foreign used car, popularly referred to as tokunbo. Checking the VIN will give you more insight into vehicle history because so many stolen cars are exported to Africa.
- Most times, the criminals detach the VIN and replace it with another VIN of the same car and model. In this case, confirm if the VIN of the car is the same as the one on the dashboard.
- Request for the original customs papers: This is applicable if the car is a Nigerian used stolen car. The thieves may not lay hands on the customs duty but in some cases, owners leave the duty documents in the car. Always ask for the original customs duty documents and always make sure that all the documents correspond.
- Always buy cars from trusted dealers: Sellatease was created to bring buyers closer to trusted sellers. Always buy from a dealer who has repute, don’t always buy from any roadside person you see. Try as much as possible to go through our listings on cars and trusted dealers.
- Inspect the body for irregular repainting job: This is not a sign that it’s stolen, so many people pimp their cars before selling but in any case, you see new paints, always take time to ask questions.
- Check the glasses for inscriptions: Nigerian most times write the plate numbers of their cars on the glasses, headlights, taillights, mirrors, etc and this will make it hard for thieves to steal the car. Make out time to check the whole car for engraving or inscriptions.
- Always pay into a company account: Making payments into a business account is always a good option in case you have issues with the goods you purchased. You can sue the company since it’s a legal entity acknowledge by law.
- Take a selfie with the dealer: Taking a selfie is also a good move. Take a selfie with him and save it on your device in case of any trouble ahead.
- Confirm the owner of the via its number plate: This is very important, head over to the FRSC Database and fill in the car’s plate number and this will give you hidden details of the car. You will get additional information such as the car model, trim, and color.
With this, I hope you are enlightened. To avoid ‘had I known’ always buy cars from trusted sellers on Sellatease. Also, read tips on things to check when buying a used car in Nigeria.
If you have any tip we didn’t mention here, you can drop them in the comments. Don’t forget to like and share. You can save lives and funds by sharing this article.
