Paid Rs 5.9m for an SUV That Never Arrived — How Do You Vet a Seller First?

Late last month, Colombo's Fraud Bureau arrested a man accused of taking Rs 5.9 million from a buyer who was promised an SUV that never showed up. It's not a one-off: brokers and "import agents" asking for full payment before a vehicle even clears customs, let alone before transfer, is common practice here, especially with reconditioned imports where buyers are told paying upfront locks in a better price. Some buyers swear by it — paying in advance to a broker who's been in the trade for years can save you lakhs compared to a registered dealer with showroom overheads and markup. Others say you should never hand over real money before you've physically seen the vehicle, checked the actual import permit and customs papers, and ideally met at the RMV so the transfer happens the same day cash changes hands. Where do you personally draw the line — full payment upfront, part payment with a written agreement, or nothing until it's in your name? And if you or someone you know got burned doing it the "normal" way, what warning sign did you miss? මුදල් දෙන්න කලින් ඔයා මොනවද පරීක්ෂා කරන්නේ?