ZAMBIA RECORDS INCREASED FRAUDULENT CASES INVOLVING ONLINE CAR BUYING FROM JAPAN
THERE is an increase in cases involving motor vehicle fraud of used Japanese vehicles being imported in Zambia, Zambia’s Ambassador to Japan Tobias Mulimbika has said.
Dr Mulimbika said it is concerning that Zambians have continued to lose large sums of money in such a manner.
He has implored potential buyers to conduct thorough due diligence of motor vehicle sellers before making online payments to avoid losing huge sums of money.
“The Zambian Embassy in Tokyo has recorded an increase in the number of such cases and has attributed the vice to lack of Information.
Let people verify details of the sellers to avoid being scammed. It is very difficult to recover the money as most of the purported sellers may not have a verified physical address in Japan and operated off-shore”, he said.
Dr Mulimbika said the Embassy should be contacted for verification purposes before making payments unlike after a person has been a victim of fraud.
“Citizens should always conduct online motor purchases through reputable companies that are traceable,” he advised.
He further urged prospective buyers to always check with the Japan Used Motor Vehicles Exporters Association (JUMVEA),for some of the reputable and credible companies regulated by the Ministry of Economy , Trade and Industry of Japan.
Dr Mulimbika added that the Mission has continued to engage the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and Interpol on how best such cases may be addressed to promote trade between the two countries.
This is according to a statement issued by the Republic of Zambia in Tokyo Japan, first Secretary to Press and Public Relations Faith Nabeene Chilube.