Security & safety advice
How to buy and sell vehicles safely on Autotrader Africa
Most people you deal with on Autotrader Africa are genuine. A small number are not. These simple habits protect you from the scams that target car buyers and sellers in Nigeria — take a few minutes to read them before you meet anyone or move any money.
⚠️ The golden rules
- Never pay for a car you haven't seen and inspected in person.
- Never send a deposit, "clearing fee", "customs fee" or "agent fee" to release a car. Genuine sellers don't ask for this.
- If a deal feels rushed, too cheap, or the seller refuses to meet, walk away. There is always another car.
If you're buying a car
Before you meet
- Check the VIN. Ask for the 17-character VIN and decode it here for free. Confirm the make, model and year match the advert. On Autotrader Africa, listings that pass this check show a green ✓ VIN verified badge.
- Be wary of prices well below the market. Use our free valuation tool to sanity-check the asking price. A "2020 SUV for ₦2m" is bait, not a bargain.
- Keep the conversation on the platform. Use in-app chat first. Scammers push you to WhatsApp or "a friend who handles payment" to get you off the record.
- Watch for the classic story. "I've travelled / relocated abroad, my agent will deliver the car once you pay" is the single most common car scam. Do not pay a naira until you have physically seen the car.
When you meet
- Meet in daylight, in a public, busy place. A bank car park, a fuel station forecourt, or the seller's registered business address. Bring someone with you.
- Inspect the car and its papers together. Check the physical VIN plate (dashboard, door frame, engine bay) matches the documents and the advert. Ask for the vehicle licence, proof of ownership / customs papers for imports, and the seller's valid ID.
- Confirm the seller's identity matches the documents. The name on the ownership papers should be the person selling — or they should have a clear, documented reason it isn't.
- Take a test drive and, for anything but the cheapest cars, have an independent mechanic inspect it before you commit.
Paying safely
- Pay only once you're satisfied and taking the car and papers. A traceable bank transfer to an account in the seller's own name is safest — avoid large amounts of cash and never use gift cards, crypto or "top-up" vouchers.
- Get a signed receipt / sale agreement showing both parties' names, ID/phone numbers, the car details and VIN, the price, and the date.
- Transfer ownership promptly and change the vehicle particulars into your name so you're not liable for the previous owner.
If you're selling a car
Screening buyers
- Be cautious of anyone who agrees to your price without seeing the car, or who wants to "overpay" and have you refund the difference — that's a fake-transfer scam.
- Ignore "my agent / shipping company will collect it after you pay a fee" messages. You never pay to sell.
- Don't share your bank details, BVN or a photo of your ID with strangers before a genuine sale.
Getting paid
- Confirm the money has actually cleared in your account — not just a screenshot or an SMS "alert", which are easily faked — before you hand over keys or papers.
- For cash, count it and, for larger sums, meet inside or just outside a bank.
- Only release the car, keys and documents once payment is confirmed and the sale agreement is signed.
Meeting buyers
- Meet in a safe, public place in daylight and let someone know where you'll be. Accompany the buyer on any test drive, or ask to hold a copy of their ID first.
- Keep the keys until money is confirmed. Don't leave a buyer alone with the car and the documents.
Spotted something suspicious? If a listing or a user looks like a scam, stop the conversation and report it to us at support@autotraderafrica.com with the listing link and any messages. Reporting fast helps us protect other buyers and sellers.