Buyer scammed out of R195,000 in alleged vehicle sale in Umhlanga, KZN
A prospective car buyer lost R195,000 in an apparent scam on Friday, after armed men seized a vehicle he had just paid for.
The victim had responded to an online advertisement for a 2023 white Ford Ranger Wildtrak, listed for R550,000. After being sent photos and videos of the vehicle, he insisted on viewing it in person before making any payment. The buyer met a representative of the seller at King Shaka International Airport earlier in the day and, after inspecting the bakkie, transferred R195,000 from his FNB account to the seller’s FNB account.
However, following the transaction, the seller claimed the funds had not reflected in his account and ordered his employee not to release the vehicle. Growing suspicious, the seller reportedly placed a friend in the passenger seat of the Ford Wildtrak to prevent it from being driven away.
Several hours later, the seller arranged to meet the buyer at a service station in Verulam, KZN, allegedly to resolve the dispute. It was there that two unidentified men dressed in khaki uniforms and armed with rifles arrived in a white 2018 Ford Ranger double cab. They forcibly removed the passenger from the Wildtrak and drove off with the vehicle.
Reaction Unit South Africa (RUSA) received a call for assistance at 18h25 and responded to the scene. A criminal case is currently being opened, and authorities are investigating the incident.