Should I pay a deposit before seeing a Marketplace car?
Inspect the car and establish who you are dealing with before paying. A “holding deposit” label, phone call or long-standing profile does not verify the car or seller. If the car cannot be inspected, authority is unclear or the payment recipient does not match, pause the purchase.
Check the seller and recipient separately
Compare the person and vehicle documents in person. If someone is selling for a relative or business, ask who owns the car, who will sign and what supports their authority. The free QLD rego check does not provide the owner's name; registration is not proof of ownership. QLD registration guidance is specific to Queensland.
Check the recipient shown by your bank or PayID before confirming payment. An unexplained mismatch needs resolution, not a second account to try. Read the wider Marketplace checks for vehicle and history checks.
Worked example: a seller acting for a relative
Hypothetical scenario: a seller says the car belongs to their brother and asks for A$300 to a friend's account before inspection. That combination leaves authority and payment unresolved; it does not establish a crime. Do not send the deposit. Request an inspection and a clear explanation supported by the relevant people and documents.
What should the deposit record contain?
If you proceed after checking the car and seller, record the amount, vehicle, parties, recipient, purpose, remaining balance and handover plan. Agree the inspection, cancellation and refund conditions in writing before payment. Do not assume a deposit is automatically refundable. Use the QLD private-sale draft paperwork to record agreed terms; seek advice if those terms are disputed or unclear.
Paste the advert for free evidence questions without an account or email. The tool organises supplied claims; it cannot approve a seller or payment.
If you have already paid and suspect a scam
Contact your bank or payment provider immediately, stop further payments and keep the advert and messages. Report the incident to the platform and Scamwatch. Recovery is not guaranteed.