If you’re a car salesman, would you trust a buyer who wanted to purchase a $90,000 using just PayPal? That’s what Atlanta dealer and TikToker Yusuf Benallal (@ridewithyusuf) recently encountered on a call.
A customer wanted to buy a 2018 Dodge SRT Demon for $90k, but they wanted to use the popular money transferring service to do so. Yusuf recorded their interaction with the potential buyer in a viral TikTok that accrued 1 million views.
“I’m still trying to figure out if this is real. Or you really wanna pay for a $90,000 with PayPal?” Yusuf asks in the call.
The person on the other line of the phone assures Yusuf that he “really” wants to pay for the vehicle. Next, the clip cuts to Yusuf providing some context to the situation, asking viewers to listen to the voicemail he received from a prospective buyer. The person in question wanted to buy a 2018 Dodge Demon for $90,000.
A $90,000… Dodge?
When you think of high-end vehicles that veer into the price range of cheap homes, Dodge probably isn’t the first brand that comes to mind. For around the same amount of money, folks could purchase a 2024 Porsche 718 Cayman. If you wanted to go the EV route, you could also get yourself a nicely optioned Tesla Model X or S, as well. You could even get a base model Porsche Cayenne for less than $90,000 as well.
However, Yusuf’s buyer would rather invest their money in a 6-year-old car. So what makes the Dodge SRT Demon so special?
Car and Driver penned a review of the car, delineating how, right from the factory, it’s been outfitted with drag racing equipment. The outlet calls the vehicle “one of the coolest and craziest cars to ever wear a Dodge badge.” In fact, the vehicle only comes with one seat standard, but everything else can be added for $1. It can also cover a quarter mile in just 9.65 seconds flat, reaching speeds of 140mph in that time. The NHRA reported at the time of its release that it was the world’s fastest quarter-mile production car.
But to reach these blistering speeds, drivers will have to ensure their gas tank’s filled with 100-plus-octane race fuel. Furthermore, there’s no word as to whether or not the Demon comes with a subscription package to cover speeding tickets carte blanche.
Does buying a car with PayPal work?
In the video, Yusuf tells his audience he suspected the interested buyer may’ve been “trolling.” Next, he proceeds to record his phone call with the customer who tells him he’d like to purchase it outright via PayPal. Yusuf informs him that this isn’t possible.
“Why not?” the man asks as Yusuf breaks it down. “Well, for one, it’s a little bit risky for us. Two: I don’t even think you can send that much.”
Following this, the salesman asks the man if he could just transfer that money to his bank account. Then he could wire the money to the dealership or just get them a cashier’s check. The dealer then asks him if there’s a reason why he doesn’t want to go that route.
According to the buyer, he’d rather pay via PayPal in order to avoid additional fees that he’d accrued going through the standard process.
Thereafter he asks if there’s a scratch on the door of the car, which seems to befuddle Yusuf.
“I’m looking at the pictures of the Demon right now, is there a scratch on the side?” the customer asks.
Yusuf says that they just had the scar “stage 1 paint corrected” and that the vehicle is “flawless.”
Still pushing for PayPal
Later on in the video, the prospective buyer says he doesn’t understand why “most dealerships” won’t take PayPal. After all, he argues, “money is money.”
Subsequently, Yusuf explains again that “most car dealerships won’t take [PayPal] because it’s very risky. The quickest way for you is just to transfer that balance, take a hit on the fees.”
After hearing this suggestion, the buyer didn’t seem too enthused about this idea. “Not really trying to do all that, man,” he says.
Yusuf let him know again that PayPal wouldn’t be an option. “Unfortunately man I can’t help you then. It’s just too high risk for us to use PayPal to pay for an expensive car. If it was a down payment or something. Yeah, we could definitely make it work,” he says. “But $90,000 for a car.”
At this point in the conversation the buyer interjects. “But you’ll take a down payment for PayPal but not, full? What’s the difference?” he asks.
Yusuf breaks it down: “The difference is I’d rather stomach the possibility of losing $1,500 than you $90,000. Again, it’s just about risk, right?”
@ridewithyusuf Customer wants the Dodge Demon but can only pay with PayPal. It was a no deal for us. #cars #cardealer #fyp #dodge #dodgedemon #paypal #scam #carsales #dealership #dealershiptiktok ♬ original sound – Ride With Yusuf
Can you buy a car using PayPal?
There are several online forum discussions that reference whether or not car dealerships accept PayPal payments. Key Savvy delineates some of the risks that Yusuf refers to in his call with the Demon buyer. For one, the automotive information website states that PayPal Buyer or Seller protection doesn’t extend to automotive sales.
So if there is a dispute pertaining to a transaction, reps from the application won’t assist the parties involved. Furthermore, if the buyer and seller elects to use the “friends and family” option, matters could get trickier. The buyer could put in a dispute and potentially have their funds returned, leaving the seller in a bind. Additionally, PayPal doesn’t verify whether or not the seller of a vehicle is the owner of said vehicle.
Which means that there isn’t any verification on PayPal’s behalf if the car seller actually owns the vehicle in question. Key Savvy also details a common ACH scam some PayPal purchasers can utilize to defraud sellers. “The problem is that the payment will appear to be successful at first, but then will be reversed hours or as many as 3 days later,” rhw airw arrWA.
What dealers or auto shops accept PayPal?
Forum posters on Car Dealer Magazine also discussed potentially purchasing vehicles via PayPal. Several folks in the forum cautioned against using the application for car payments. That’s because of not only the fees associated with PayPal business transactions, i.e. the 2.9% fee. But also due to the disputes that could arise from buyers disputing charges or not having enough money in their account to cover said charge.
Car dealer Jones Ford states that, like Yusuf, their establishment will accept PayPal deposits. However, the website states that PayPal deposits are non-refundable and only secures a vehicle “for up to 5 days.”
Auto repair shop Forthright Auto, which completes service jobs and detailing states that it accepts PayPal. However, it should be noted that these services will more than likely cost much less than the purchase of an entire vehicle.
However Insurance Auto Auctions, IAAI, states that those looking to purchase used auction vehicles can use PayPal. The website delineates how folks can go about doing this. So if you’re preferred method of buying a vehicle is through PayPal, you could go the auto auction route.
TikTokers smelled a scam
Several folks thought it was apparent that the buyer was up to something shady. One person simply stated, “ATL activities.”
Another quipped that the man profited off of a known banking glitch. Afterwards, they quickly moved their money into PayPal. “Bro did the Chase Glitch and moved it quick to PayPal,” they joked.
The glitch in question, as reported by NPR involved Chase bank customers depositing fake checks into ATMs. This “infinite money glitch” saw TikTok users flaunting stacks of cash that they were able to extrapolate from the institution using the method. NPR states that at least four businesses and people have been hit with lawsuits they allege took advantage of said “glitch.”
Someone else said that if the buyer really did have that much money, they wouldn’t care about bank charges. “If I have 90 grand available to spend on a car I am not gonna worry about a couple of bucks in bank fees,” they argued.
However, there was one user who said that regardless of finances, they wouldn’t spend that much money on a 6-year-old car. “Not paying 90000 for a 2018 nothing,” they added.
Dealer’s response
The Daily Dot has reached out to Dodge and Yusuf via email for further comment. Yusuf replied, stating the the customer in question did indeed reach back out. They’re currently “working on a deal.”
The salesman went on to state: “The Dodge demons sell between 89-95k so ours has low miles and priced very aggressively for the market since they don’t make that model anymore and it was limited production.”
He also requested the following information be shared about his business and online presence below.
Yusuf Benallal owns a dealership located in Atlanta, Georgia and Charlotte, N.C. He shared with the Daily Dot that he aims to use his social media platforms to keep educating people about the car market and giving a unique insight of a day in the life of an independent car dealership. Yusuf is also currently working on a software startup that provides a more transparent experience for car buying and servicing for both consumers and businesses.
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