09/06/2026
When purchasing house, land or a car.
Due to the crime situation in Trinidad and Tobago and the armed robberies occurring , especially when criminals are purchasing a house, land , or a car from persons advertising on Facebook Marketplace, we are providing some information to help prevent robberies and assist individuals in avoiding getting robbed.
When going to purchase the item you wish to buy ,regardless of whether it is a house, land, or car, don't go around with large sums of cash. You are setting yourself up to be robbed, as you don't know the person you intend to buy the item from. If the person tells you to have cash in hand or insists that you bring cash to make the purchase, that should concern you, as the person may be setting you up for a robbery.
If it is a new or used vehicle you saw on the road and you manage to stop the owner and talk to the person who owns the vehicle , you still shouldn't conduct the purchase of the vehicle in cash. The person might say, "Well, you will get it at a better price if you buy it in cash." Don't fall for it; again ,the person can be setting you up to be robbed. The person could just be the setup person . Always check first to see if the person has not used the house, land, or vehicle as collateral for a loan and then decided to sell it to you. Once you are sure it was not used to secure a loan , conduct the payment through a bank or financial institution, such as a bank or credit union. Even though you may have the funds available , you should arrange with the financial institution, regardless of whether it is a bank or credit union, to get a loan for the item you are buying and then pay them back. Also, before they lend you the money for the item , they will do their checks first to, ensure the item was not used as security for their loan. This may take a few days for the person to get their money, but it is for your safety.