News / National
'Rent-to-Buy' car scams swallow millions in Zimbabwe
2 hrs ago |
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On Facebook Marketplace, WhatsApp groups, and Telegram channels, adverts for cars like Toyota Aqua, Honda Fit, and Mazda Demio promise Zimbabweans a simple deal: "No Credit Check — Drive Today, Own Tomorrow." For many who are locked out of formal vehicle financing, these offers seem like a lifeline. But behind the glossy photos and catchy captions lies a sophisticated and fast-moving scam ecosystem that has cost victims millions, destroyed livelihoods, and exposed serious regulatory gaps.
These rent-to-buy schemes operate in plain sight, saturating social media platforms with professional-looking advertisements designed to mimic legitimate dealerships. They target people excluded from bank loans, promising low deposits, instant delivery, flexible monthly payments, and no credit checks. Many of the online pages carry logos, physical office addresses lifted from unrelated businesses, and vehicle images scraped from Japanese auction sites or legitimate local dealerships. To bolster credibility, operators use agents who pose as satisfied customers. In some cases, these agents are former victims themselves, coerced into recruiting others in the hope of recovering their lost money.
Once initial contact is made, victims are moved to WhatsApp under the pretext of faster service. They are presented with rent-to-buy contracts, purported company registration documents, and images of vehicles supposedly in stock. But there is a troubling pattern. Company ownership details are often vague or inconsistent, delivery timelines are left entirely to the discretion of the operators, deposits are explicitly non-refundable, and contracts offer no provision for physical inspection of vehicles. In many cases, the company name on the contract differs from the one used in the original advert.
Payments are typically directed to mobile money platforms or individual accounts rather than corporate accounts, making the money difficult to trace. Receipts, when issued, are generic and lack basic accounting details. Once deposits are paid, delivery dates begin to slip, with excuses ranging from customs delays to transport breakdowns. Victims are sometimes asked for additional fees for insurance, registration, or expedited clearance, deepening their financial exposure. Eventually, communication slows, then stops, and social media pages vanish without warning. Weeks later, a new page often appears using the same images, wording, and tactics, but under a different name.
Investigations by Check Point Desk reveal recurring names, phone numbers, and aliases linked to multiple schemes. Among those identified are Ian Nyathi, operating as Baba Matanho on Facebook; Admire Nzou, trading as Madzibaba Joshua; and Munyaradzi Chikweshe, using the name Mambo Eriya. These individuals are associated with a purported company called SBT Rent-to-Buy Cars. Another operator, Langton Zvarimwa, runs a WhatsApp group called Modern Car Sales and typically requests initial payments described as fuel or tollgate fees before disappearing. Victims allege that once payments are made, administrators block their numbers and remove them from groups.
For victims, the consequences are immediate and personal. Tariro, a 34-year-old nurse from Harare West, paid US$800 after being promised a car to commute safely to night shifts but never received it. Joseph, a 42-year-old cross-border trader, lost US$1,500 in a similar scam despite receiving images and videos of the promised vehicle. Across multiple cases, the same pattern emerges: a new social media page advertises aggressively, deposits are collected, delivery is delayed with excuses, complaints mount, communication becomes evasive, and eventually the digital trail disappears before reappearing under a new identity.
Evidence suggests that these scams are not run by a single syndicate but rather by loosely connected networks. A small core group controls the money and digital accounts, supported by temporary agents paid per recruit. Front companies are cheaply registered or not registered at all, prosecutions are rare, and victims confronting operators in person are often threatened or misled. Advocate Misheck Mandaira, a commercial law specialist, noted that Zimbabwe lacks a clear regulatory framework for rent-to-buy vehicle schemes, which allows operators to claim they are offering rental services with an option to buy. Law enforcement faces additional challenges due to cross-jurisdictional payments, victims' reluctance to report out of shame, and disputes over whether cases are civil or criminal in nature.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi warned the public to exercise caution when purchasing vehicles through social media platforms. He urged buyers to use proper, recognized channels and to report fraud promptly so authorities can take action. Until stronger regulation and enforcement measures are implemented, rent-to-buy car schemes continue to pose a high-risk trap for unsuspecting Zimbabweans, exploiting hope and trust for financial gain.
These rent-to-buy schemes operate in plain sight, saturating social media platforms with professional-looking advertisements designed to mimic legitimate dealerships. They target people excluded from bank loans, promising low deposits, instant delivery, flexible monthly payments, and no credit checks. Many of the online pages carry logos, physical office addresses lifted from unrelated businesses, and vehicle images scraped from Japanese auction sites or legitimate local dealerships. To bolster credibility, operators use agents who pose as satisfied customers. In some cases, these agents are former victims themselves, coerced into recruiting others in the hope of recovering their lost money.
Once initial contact is made, victims are moved to WhatsApp under the pretext of faster service. They are presented with rent-to-buy contracts, purported company registration documents, and images of vehicles supposedly in stock. But there is a troubling pattern. Company ownership details are often vague or inconsistent, delivery timelines are left entirely to the discretion of the operators, deposits are explicitly non-refundable, and contracts offer no provision for physical inspection of vehicles. In many cases, the company name on the contract differs from the one used in the original advert.
Payments are typically directed to mobile money platforms or individual accounts rather than corporate accounts, making the money difficult to trace. Receipts, when issued, are generic and lack basic accounting details. Once deposits are paid, delivery dates begin to slip, with excuses ranging from customs delays to transport breakdowns. Victims are sometimes asked for additional fees for insurance, registration, or expedited clearance, deepening their financial exposure. Eventually, communication slows, then stops, and social media pages vanish without warning. Weeks later, a new page often appears using the same images, wording, and tactics, but under a different name.
Investigations by Check Point Desk reveal recurring names, phone numbers, and aliases linked to multiple schemes. Among those identified are Ian Nyathi, operating as Baba Matanho on Facebook; Admire Nzou, trading as Madzibaba Joshua; and Munyaradzi Chikweshe, using the name Mambo Eriya. These individuals are associated with a purported company called SBT Rent-to-Buy Cars. Another operator, Langton Zvarimwa, runs a WhatsApp group called Modern Car Sales and typically requests initial payments described as fuel or tollgate fees before disappearing. Victims allege that once payments are made, administrators block their numbers and remove them from groups.
For victims, the consequences are immediate and personal. Tariro, a 34-year-old nurse from Harare West, paid US$800 after being promised a car to commute safely to night shifts but never received it. Joseph, a 42-year-old cross-border trader, lost US$1,500 in a similar scam despite receiving images and videos of the promised vehicle. Across multiple cases, the same pattern emerges: a new social media page advertises aggressively, deposits are collected, delivery is delayed with excuses, complaints mount, communication becomes evasive, and eventually the digital trail disappears before reappearing under a new identity.
Evidence suggests that these scams are not run by a single syndicate but rather by loosely connected networks. A small core group controls the money and digital accounts, supported by temporary agents paid per recruit. Front companies are cheaply registered or not registered at all, prosecutions are rare, and victims confronting operators in person are often threatened or misled. Advocate Misheck Mandaira, a commercial law specialist, noted that Zimbabwe lacks a clear regulatory framework for rent-to-buy vehicle schemes, which allows operators to claim they are offering rental services with an option to buy. Law enforcement faces additional challenges due to cross-jurisdictional payments, victims' reluctance to report out of shame, and disputes over whether cases are civil or criminal in nature.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi warned the public to exercise caution when purchasing vehicles through social media platforms. He urged buyers to use proper, recognized channels and to report fraud promptly so authorities can take action. Until stronger regulation and enforcement measures are implemented, rent-to-buy car schemes continue to pose a high-risk trap for unsuspecting Zimbabweans, exploiting hope and trust for financial gain.
Source - The Herald
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