Identifying and Avoiding Vehicle Purchase Deposit Scams

Vehicle purchase scams work by creating the appearance of a legitimate transaction at every step: a named company, a specific vehicle on offer, reasonable pricing, and a functioning bank account. The scammer requests deposits rather than full payment upfront — each deposit feels like progress toward a deal in motion rather than money handed to a stranger. In March 2026, a woman paid two deposits of TT$5,000 each into an account under the name Amina Bethel, in connection with a rent-to-own arrangement for a dark green Honda Vezel advertised by a company called Car Hive Limited. After the second deposit, neither the vehicle nor any further communication from the seller materialised. The rent-to-own model is specifically attractive to scammers because it normalises staged payments and extends the period over which victims can be extracted from before the disappearance becomes obvious. In T&T, informal and semi-formal vehicle arrangements are common enough that an unregistered or unverifiable seller is not immediately suspicious — which is precisely why verification before any payment is the only reliable protection.

Steps to follow:

• Before making any deposit for a vehicle, verify the seller’s business registration with the Companies Registry of Trinidad and Tobago or confirm a physical business address that exists independently of a social media page or online listing.
• Never pay a deposit without first physically inspecting the vehicle in person and confirming it exists — a vehicle with a VIN and registration number can be verified; a photograph or description in an advertisement cannot.
• Require a written agreement specifying the vehicle’s details (VIN, registration number, make, model, colour), the total purchase price, deposit amounts, payment schedule, and expected delivery date; a legitimate seller will provide this without hesitation.
• Search the company name and contact phone number independently before responding to any advertisement — if the only web presence is a single marketplace listing or social media post with no prior history, treat this as a significant red flag.
• Do not make a second deposit without physical delivery progress; a seller who requests a further payment before fulfilling any aspect of the agreed arrangement is not operating a legitimate transaction.
• When a listing is tied to a named individual rather than a company, reverse-image-search their profile photo and search their name independently — scammers have been known to steal a real person’s identity entirely, using their photo and name to create a convincing social media page; contact the person you find through their own verified accounts to confirm they are actually selling the vehicle before any money changes hands.
• If you have already made deposits and cannot reach the seller, report to the Financial Intelligence Unit of Trinidad and Tobago (FIU) and your bank immediately to attempt a freeze or reversal, and file a report with the police — time is the critical factor in any banking fraud recovery.