So there’s this trending problem that people who wish to have their cars sold are faced with: the problem of Mechanics you’d give your cars to; to help you sell but would eventually make theirs as they cruise town with it and would lament of not getting good bargains from intending buyers when you call to ask how far. Or the self-acclaimed car marketers who would disguise as car-buyers; they would price your car with zero chill and no pitiful look then out of frustration, you’ll be forced to sell your car and after you’re paid, they would send robbers to accost you and rob you of the money you just received; parting with both your car and the money.
I wouldn’t forget the doleful ordeal of Arinola Johnson, my very good friend. I was driving home from work on a sunsetting thursday when i bumped into Mrs. Johnson, she was looking exhausted and her face had no sign of life. I had almost hit her as she tried to cross the mini-road right in front of Obanikoro Baptist Church. I had swore to curse the gullible lady who seemed to have no eyes for a car as huge as my GMC Yukon, if she had signed up for death, she shouldn’t let her blood stain my SUV I cursed. I couldn’t believe my eyes the very minute i realised that the lady in question was my very good friend from way back. “Arinola! What are you doing here? Why are you looking so downcast?” As she tried to open her mouth to speak to me, she burst out into tears. After series of comforting words, i was finally able to calm her troubled soul. Then she recounts:
“ God! i can’t believe i fell for those bastards; they looked real and legit. They even had a company letter-headed paper, i never knew it was a scam….oh no! My car, i won’t be seeing my lovely baby anymore….”
She had met with a group of guys who looked like car dealers online when she was surfing the internet, looking for dealers who could buy her Toyota RAV4 and then help her get a neat Landcruiser Prado, (she had made her research and she was informed that with a Toyota RAV4 and 2.7 million Naira, one would definitely get a clean Landcruiser Prado). They were always making one call or another, claiming they were talking to their Abuja, Port-Harcourt or American clients who had a car to sell or buy. They had a company letter-headed paper ‘Alamu and sons marketing company’ to which they used to send letters to their invincible and unknown clients. She contacted them, had a long discussion to which they assured her of a successful business transaction as well as future dealings to make them look very genuine. After they had struck a bargain, they would call her every morning to greet her and then stylishly tease her to know if she was still interested in doing business with them as her words were all they needed. On the day they had told her the Landcruiser Prado would land, they had collected 2.7 million from her in retrospect, to which they claimed would make them get the SUV and that they would even add their money in order to help her get the SUV asap so they would get their money back when they sell the Rav4. They had set up a fake office at Obanikoro where she dropped her car two days before the day the supposed SUV would arrive, so she would come two days later to get her new car and papers.
She had been awake as early as 6. am, fantasizing about her new SUV and what the colour would look like: Red? No Grey or black would be better as they were matured colours that would fit her status. She was so lost in her fantasy that she forgot to make breakfast for her Husband and kids. His voice had brought her back to life even as she tried to find out where she was, he was all dressed up and ready for work and with the kids school was not too far from his office, he would be dropping them off.
It was almost 8.am and she had not made anything; she quickly made tea and then spread butter on the bread for her husband and kids to eat. She had promised to bring lunch for the kids in her new SUV later in the day.
Her appointment with Mr. Alamu was scheduled for 10.am so she quickly had her bath and then had herself dressed up in no time, she didn’t eat as she was already watering her appetite from the images of the car she had pictured in her mind. She ordered for Uber and she was off to obanikoro hoping to behold the magnificence of her new baby. She got to Obanikoro and that was the beginning of her misfortunes: the office was empty, she got to know from the neighbours of the building that they had claimed that they were expecting a business associate from Sweden who would want to see seriousness in them and that they needed some place they could call an office.
She had been duped; clean, smoothly and without traces; the numbers she called were either switched off or not allocated. She was lost, devastated and frustrated.
“Can someone please tell me it’s a dream, please wake me up…i cant think, my car! My money! I starved myself of the good things of life to save that huge amount. What am i going to say to my Husband? My kids? My friends? I hate myself…..”
She continued as i felt pity for her, there was nothing i could do, at least, I can’t give her my car na. I just sat there, sighing and shaking my head to every phrase and sentence she uttered.
Selling your car in this little but congested fast growing region of Nigeria (Lagos) can be very scary, it would take more than a radical personality to help you ‘cos anybody, i mean anybody can be scammed. Which is why Cars45 has taken it upon themselves to help you in the best possible way we can: you want to sell your car? You want to buy that car that you’ve long admired? Or you want that car but you’re halfway through with the money, our trade-in services will help make your dreams come true in just 45 minutes. Here’s how: we would inspect your car and make sure it’s in good shape, then we would price: at least settling for a better bargain that would please us and make you go home smiling and then the next and last phase is the part where you’ll sell your car. This we will make possible in just 45. minutes.
You’re in safe hands with us, don’t fall victim like my good friend Arinola Johnson did.
