Buying a used vehicle in Brazil requires more than liking the car and trusting the conversation. Most scams happen even before the key changes hands — in the ad, the payment method, and the documentation.
Many problems could be avoided with simple checks and less rushed decisions. Below are three recurring traps and practical habits to stay far from them.
Trap 1: an attractive ad that doesn’t match reality
Beautiful photos, a price below average, and vague descriptions are common in problematic ads. In more frequent scams, the car doesn’t even belong to the advertiser or has serious issues that don’t appear in the text.
Warning signs that deserve a pause:
- Price far below market without a clear explanation - Urgency to move the conversation off the platform - Refusal to show the car in person or in a public place - Confusing history: “relative’s car,” “I’m selling it for a friend,” “documents in progress”
Habit that helps avoid the problem
Compare the ad with others of the same model, year, and trim. Large differences call for an objective justification. When talking to the seller, ask for specific information (license plate, city of registration, reason for sale) and note whether the answers change during the conversation.
Trap 2: payment without traceability
Urgent transfers, deposits to “hold the car,” or requests for payment in a third party’s name are fertile ground for scams. In some cases, the buyer pays and never sees the seller again. In others, the money goes to someone unrelated to the vehicle.
Common risk situations:
- Request for PIX before seeing the car - Bank account in a name different from the seller’s - Pressure to pay on weekends or outside banking hours
Habit that reduces risk
Pay only after seeing the vehicle and confirming basic documentation. Prefer transactions that leave a clear trail and identify who received the funds. If there are intermediaries, be wary: legitimate sales are usually direct.
Trap 3: incomplete documentation or "in the process of regularization"
Problems with vehicle documentation are one of the biggest headaches for used-car buyers. Debts, judicial restrictions, administrative blocks, or data discrepancies can prevent transfer — and leave the buyer to sort it out.
Common mistakes at this stage:
- Relying only on copies or old photos of the document - Accepting promises that “we’ll sort it out later” - Not checking whether the seller is the actual owner
Essential habit before closing the deal
Check that the vehicle and owner details match the person selling it. Proper documentation is not a detail: it’s a basic condition. Any issues must be resolved before payment, not after.
Hurry is an ally of scams
Scammers often create urgency: another interested buyer appeared, the price goes up tomorrow, the ad will be taken down. This pressure serves to skip verification steps.
Give the process time. A used car is not a one-time opportunity.
Organization protects the consumer
Keeping conversations, ads, receipts, and putting everything in writing helps prevent problems and makes any future dispute easier. Clear deals leave less room for surprises.
When buying a used vehicle, healthy skepticism is not an exaggeration. It’s basic care to avoid turning savings into losses.
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