City resident Bonke Mankwana fell victim to a scam and lost his beloved Audi.
SELLING your car to someone with the plan of buying a new one is an exciting thought.
The original plan is usually to use the money gained from the sale as a deposit on the new car you want to buy, making your monthly payment much less.
Well, that was the plan for Bonke Mankwana, a health care technology manager at Lenmed Royal Hospital and Heart Centre in Kimberley.
But, as Mankwana found out, what you plan and how your plans work out are two different things. Mankwana fell victim to a scam and lost his beloved Audi.
He explained that he decided to sell his Audi because he wanted to buy himself a Mercedes, so he put out a Facebook post advertising his Audi for sale.
“I received a WhatsApp the next morning from a guy who said he was interested in buying my Audi. We spoke about the car and I told him that the car was fully paid up. He informed me that he stays in the Free State and that he is going to send his cousin to view the car.”
According to Mankwana, the man’s “cousin” then phoned him and said that they should meet at the OK Liquors in Long Street.
“We then took my car for a test drive and he was happy with the car. He phoned his cousin and told him that the car had no problems and that he should buy it. He then said that he will take the car now and make a payment of R120,000 into my bank account.”
Mankwana then received an SMS from his bank stating that a notice of payment was made into his account to the amount of R120,000.
“We then drove to my place to collect the papers for the car. I handed him the papers and the two keys that belong to the car.”
Mankwana said the man then climbed into the car and drove off.
“Days later I called him to inform him that I have not received any payment yet. He insisted that the money will reflect in my account by 4pm that afternoon. When the money wasn’t paid in by 4pm I called him again, but then realised that he had blocked my number. I knew then that I had been scammed.
“He must have reversed the payment shortly after he left with my car.”
Mankwana said he went to the police station to open a case of theft.
He added that the hopes he had of buying a Mercedes have now gone up in smoke.
He had a sober warning for those who are at risk of too readily trusting potential buyers.
“I hope that when people read my story they will be vigilant when selling their car, because there are criminals out there that will take your car without thinking how it will affect you.”
