It's important to be careful when buying or selling on any online marketplace. When you're interacting with other users on BCAA Auto Marketplace, it's important to familiarize yourself with the following safety tips:

Never give out personal information

When contacting other users on BCAA Auto Marketplace, do not share any personal, or financial information, beyond your name. Personal information you should NOT share includes (but is not limited to) your SIN (social insurance number), driver's license number, banking details and BCAA Auto Marketplace username and password.

Do some basic research

Learn about the vehicle you are buying and determine if the features of the car match your needs. Search for your similar vehicle on Google and YouTube and familiarize yourself with all of their features. After doing initial research, ask for the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the vehicle and purchase a CARFAX Canada Vehicle History Report to understand more about the history of the specific vehicle you are looking at buying. You can also take your used vehicle or talk to the owner of the used vehicle to get the vehicle into a BCAA Auto Service Centre for a Pre-Purchase Inspection. The Canadian Black Book is a useful tool to check the average price of the vehicle to make sure you're getting a fair price. Take some time to learn about your potential new vehicle and you'll feel a lot more comfortable and secure when completing the deal.

Keep communications on BCAA Auto Marketplace

With built-in direct messaging on BCAA Auto Marketplace, we recommend keeping all communication on the platform so both buyers and sellers can track messages, offers and agreements easily without the need to exchange personal contact information. Keep an eye out for verified sellers on BCAA Auto Marketplace! These users’ identities have been verified through a piece of Government ID, whether it be a driver’s license or a passport. 

Meet up in-person at a public location

We recommend always meeting up in person, ideally in the daytime, to inspect the vehicle and go for a test drive. We do not recommend any money be exchanged between parties until you have met with the other individual and at least inspected the vehicle. Meet ups should be in a well-lit public location and we recommend that you go with a friend or family member. Inspecting a vehicle during the daytime is not only safer, but will allow you to examine the vehicle more closely for any damage. An example of a meeting spot in a public location is a BCAA Auto Service Centre or Service Location parking lot. Once the transaction is complete, you can easily head inside our Auto Service Centre or Service Location to exchange titles and buy new insurance.

Exchange money using safe payment methods

Cashier’s cheque is our recommended method of payment because it’s generally safe, it’s widely accepted at financial institutions and has no waiting period. If that’s not possible, there are many other ways to complete the sale, such as cash, a bank transfer or online payment. Before carrying out a transaction while buying or selling a used vehicle, be sure to research the pros and cons of all the various payment methods. These two articles will help you out: How to Transfer Payment When Buying or Selling a Used Vehicle and How To Buy and Sell a Used Vehicle Safely.  

Listen to your instincts

If a deal is too good to be true, it probably is. Always be cautious. If something doesn't feel right or if you ever feel uncomfortable or suspicious about a user, walking away from a transaction before it closes may be a good option and should be exercised when needed. If you see any suspicious or inappropriate behaviour on BCAA Auto Marketplace, please contact our customer service team at support@marketplace.bcaa.com.

^{The foregoing information is for general informational purposes only. Readers are cautioned against making any decisions based on this information alone and any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk.}