Fake BYD website offers a $41,900 EV and directs buyers to pay by bank transfer

A YouTuber raised concerns about a website advertising a BYD electric vehicle for $41,900, pointing to mismatched contact details and a checkout page asking shoppers to pay by direct bank transfer.

Here's what to know

In the video, Simply Gregster EV (@SimplyGregsterEV) examined the purported Canadian BYD storefront and identified it as fake.

The site listed charging equipment alongside the Atto 3. A flash charging station was advertised for $15,000, a Blade battery was listed for $5,000, and a home wall charger cost $3,000.

Greg added the Atto 3 to his cart and proceeded to checkout, where his name and billing details were requested. The payment instructions read: "Make your payment directly into our bank account. Please use your Order ID as the payment reference. Your order will not be shipped until the funds have cleared in our account." 

He shared a warning from BYD Canada's website: "Please be aware unauthorized websites or accounts online may falsely claim to be affiliated with or authorized by BYD Canada."

More background

Greg noted it took just minutes to identify the site as fake. Its WhatsApp number began with Turkey's +90 country code, and its listed address was in Hong Kong, which Greg traced to an actual BYD dealership.

The awkward promotional phrase "BYD Canada lineup — every model coming to Canadian" pitched the site. At checkout, the billing details defaulted to the United States and included state and ZIP code fields.

Greg connected the fake storefront to growing interest in Chinese electric vehicle launches in Canada. Another site he encountered requested credit card information and a $1,000 reservation deposit, but it had disappeared by the time he recorded the video.

What can be done?

Greg urged prospective buyers to wait for official announcements from manufacturers and to not send money or personal information to questionable sellers.

He also noted that vehicles entering Canada must meet Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Regulations before they are road-ready.

For comparison, Greg pointed to the contact details on the official page shown in the video: an email address ending in @byd.com and a North York office for BYD Canada.

"Please report the scamming website to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre for further investigation," one commenter wrote.

Where can I learn more?

• BYD vehicles have been spotted road-testing in Canada, fueling speculation about the brand's arrival.

• In Ontario, a BYD Sealion appeared on Highway 407 with manufacturer plates, fueling debut speculation.

• In Australia, BYD's $19,990 Atto 1 became the cheapest new car available.

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