Buying used car Fraud/Scams Awareness

Buying a used car from Japan has long been a great choice since the price is so cheap but the quality, on the contrary, is so high. The reason for such unbelievable conditions is that the prices of cars in Japan are cheap. 

Japanese people tend to buy new cars frequently when new models come out, and then their used cars are sold at a super cheap price. Besides, in all countries, import taxes for used car from Japan are super low compared to others. 

Eventually, more and more people started to buy used cars from Japan for their low prices. Well maintained come together with trustworthy, reliable, and fast delivery Japanese exporters. However, customers need basic ideas of Fraud/Scams Awareness to avoid buying used cars from Japan scams/frauds.

Thriving on the reputation of excellent quality and reasonable prices from Japanese used car, criminal activities have occurred. So far we have heard of stolen cars, illegally rebuilt units, or even remodeled vehicles. 

When it comes to exporters/car dealers, there are reports of dishonest sellers cheating on documents and inspection certificates. A few fake websites using fake names and identities were claimed for taking advantage of car buyers. For your sake, take a look at our BUYING USED CAR FROM JAPAN TIPS – FRAUDS/SCAMS AWARENESS.

Common Scams When Buying Used Cars

One of the things that makes many consumers wonder whether to buy a used car is the fear of being scammed or choosing the wrong vehicle. This fear is not unfounded because nowadays, scams and tricks in buying and selling used cars are becoming increasingly complicated, and buyers need to be extremely wary:

Lying about the car condition 

When purchasing a pre-owned vehicle, it is inevitable to come across advertisements that falsely claim the car’s condition, stating that it hasn’t been involved in any accidents, the paint is untouched, and the engine doesn’t rebuild. And it’s hard for us to know the truth about the vehicle if we don’t have enough information about this car.

Odometer fraud

This is an extremely popular scam. Many used cars for sale have had their odometer fraud. There are cases where the car has reached 200,000 km but has been rewinded to only 100,000 km. Therefore, when buying a used car, you need to check the vehicle’s odometer carefully, combined with observing and assessing the vehicle’s condition. Don’t just rely on the number of kilometers to determine the price.

Title washing

This scam involves altering a car’s title to hide its true history, such as a salvage title due to previous damage. By “washing” the title, sellers can make the car appear clean and sell it at a higher price.

Making fake car documents

Cars of unknown origin such as smuggled used cars, or stolen cars… will be faked with documents to sell at high prices. The tricks of falsifying car documents are becoming increasingly sophisticated and very difficult to detect.

Fake online listings

Online marketplaces can be a breeding ground for scams. Fraudsters may create fake listings for cars they don’t own, aiming to collect payment upfront without delivering the vehicle.

Some Tips To Buy A Used Car

1. Use a legit company

Make sure the company you’re buying from is a genuine one. This company has to have a permanent address, office phone numbers (those starting with +81-80 or +81-90). ONLY CELLPHONE AND EMAIL communicate is strongly not recommended! Indeed, check whether your supplier is legally registered & licensed if the company is a member of Japan Used Motor Vehicle Exporters Association (JUMVEA).

2. Photos, photos, and photos

Trusted car dealers normally will have many pictures of the car in detail. Such info includes the plate, car from different views, or even documents of the car. Ask for more pictures if the vehicle you like has only a few images, the true car dealers tend to provide them fast. Additionally, these large, reputable used car exporters surely have a photo of the car in their consistent background.

3. Be suspecting

Do not trust those advertisers with beautiful fancy cars at amazingly low prices. In this case, ask for the details history of the car. Do you know the full name of the sales executive who’s talking to you? Moreover, if the website, the emails, and messages of communications are full of errors; then a high percentage of this is a fraudulent site.

4. Buy from the one that protect you

Last but most important, buy from a website that offers a “Buyer Protection service.”. “Buyer Protection service” is an escrow service to protect your payment. We will hold your payment until you confirm that the suppliers have shipped the right car to you. Hence, only after you confirm that you received the right car, by then the money start to be sent into the seller’s account.

Watch more in this video:

CAR FROM JAPAN proud to be a member of JUMVEA and all of our transactions will include “Buyer Protection service” for your best experience of buying a great used car from Japan.