How car-buying scams work in Kenya (and how to avoid them)
Deposit fraud, ghost listings, bait-and-switch, and fake paperwork — and the checks that stop them.
The deposit scam
A 'seller' posts a car at a tempting price, asks for an M-Pesa deposit to hold it, then disappears. On BIDGARI, money only moves at handover through the team — never to a private number.
Ghost and cloned listings
Photos are copied from a real listing and reposted by someone who doesn't own the car. Verify the listing reference ID and contact the platform before you trust a repost.
Bait-and-switch pricing
A too-good-to-be-true price that jumps once you commit. If a deal is far below market range, treat it as a red flag, not a bargain.
Fake paperwork
Logbooks and transfer documents can be forged. Check the logbook name against the seller's ID and run an NTSA search before any money moves.
The safe sequence
View the car in person, verify ownership, go through the platform's official channels, and pay only at handover with paperwork signed.
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