Cases of unsuspecting buyers losing millions to fraudulent car dealerships are becoming alarmingly common in Nairobi.
In what appears to be a booming scam in the industry, victims are lured with promises of quick transactions and appealing deals, only to be left in a nightmare of broken agreements, vanishing sellers, and endless excuses.
The latest case involves a dealer based in Ruaka, Kiambu County, who allegedly swindled a buyer out of Ksh 1.05 million shillings while pretending to sell a Toyota Vitz, only for the deal to spiral into a series of unfulfilled promises and evasive tactics.
The culprit, identified as Meshack Mutinda Muli, is alleged to have committed the fraud between April and June 2024.
According to the charge sheet, the dealer, who previously operated under Hot Car Deals Limited at Rosslyn Riviera Mall, along Limuru Road, falsely claimed he was in a position to sell the victim a Toyota Vitz silver 2018 model.
He, however, claimed there was only one unit remaining and urged the victim to act quickly to avoid missing out.
On April 30, 2024, the dealer requested a Ksh 30,000 commitment fee to secure the vehicle, claiming this was standard practice to lock in the unit.
Trusting the process, the victim sent the money via M-Pesa to the dealer’s mobile number.
Encouraged by the smooth communication and reassurances from the dealer, he proceeded to make a much larger payment just two days later.
On May 2, 2024, he transferred Ksh 700,000 from his Post Bank account to the Absa Bank account linked to Hot Car Deals Limited.
This amount was meant to serve as the initial deposit, as outlined in a formal sales agreement.
The sales agreement was detailed, stating that the total cost of the car was Ksh 1,102,620.
The victim had already paid Ksh 730,000, which included the deposit and the earlier commitment fee.
The balance was to be cleared within forty days.
With the paperwork in place and the dealer’s apparent professionalism, he felt confident that the transaction was legitimate.
But as the days turned into weeks, the promised delivery of the vehicle failed to materialize.
The dealer began to make excuses, claiming logistical delays and other unforeseen issues.
The victim, still eager to finalize the deal, sent an additional payment of Ksh 320,000 on June 27, 2024.
This amount was sent via M-Pesa in two separate transactions, Ksh 120,000 and Ksh 200,000 to the same mobile number provided by the dealer.
By this point, the victim had paid a total of Ksh 1.05 million.
The dealer, however, continued to stall.
His phone became unreachable for long periods, and when the victim managed to get through, he was met with vague promises and more excuses.
At one point, the dealer claimed to be hospitalized, further delaying the supposed delivery.
The victim, increasingly frustrated, realized he might have been conned when the dealer began blocking his calls and messages.
Sporadically, the dealer would unblock him, offer a new excuse, and then disappear again.
Growing tired of the endless delays and broken promises, the victim finally reported the matter to the police who have since issued a warrant for Meshack Mutinda Muli.
His whereabouts remain unknown, and attempts to trace him have led to dead ends.
His company Hot Car Deals Limited also vanished from its previous location at Rosslyn Riviera Mall.
Sources close to the case suggest that the dealership was evicted for failing to pay rent for several months.
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