Imposters using Kingston Wharves name to scam car buyers
Published:Wednesday | June 28, 2023 | 12:44 AM
Scammers have tried using the reputation of Kingston Wharves Limited and its managers to solicit funds from car buyers.
The wharf, which is the central conduit for auto imports into Jamaica, was made aware of the re-emergence of the scam last week.
“KWL does not sell cars,” said Kingston Wharves CEO Mark Williams, in his attempt to curtail the efforts to leverage the port company’s reputation for nefarious purposes.
Williams said last week his security team were alerted that persons were inquiring about vehicle sales from imposters posing as employees.
The imposters contact prospective car buyers saying they are selling cars on behalf of Kingston Wharves, and then encourage persons to make deposits on cheap vehicles.
Williams said it’s not the first time the scam has been attempted, hence their efforts to alert the public.
“It is a reoccurring decimal,” he said.
“People mentioned names of officers and called enquiring if it was true,” said Williams. “We do not sell cars, we only facilitate the movement of vehicles,” he reaffirmed.
Vehicles bought overseas by local car dealers are transited through Kingston Wharves to sell in local showrooms or transshipped to other countries.
Kingston Wharves operates Jamaica’s second-largest cargo port and is now controlled by Pan Jamaica Group. The port company is currently executing a US$60-million capex programme to expand the port’s capacity by 25 per cent to one million containers.