Divar, an Iranian classifieds platform, has reduced car listing fraud reports by 50% through a multi-layered AI-powered system that includes instant account blocking, buyer warnings, and license-plate verification, aiming to combat sophisticated scam tactics.
Iranian classifieds platform Divar says it has cut fraud reports in its car listings by half after rolling out a multi-layered anti-scam system that uses artificial intelligence, instant account blocking, buyer warnings and licence-plate verification for suspicious adverts. The company says the tools are aimed at one of the market’s most common tricks: sellers advertising cars they do not have, or do not intend to sell, at tempting prices and then asking for an advance payment before any in-person inspection.
According to Zoomit, Divar now scans adverts and user accounts continuously, flagging those with a high likelihood of fraud. Accounts identified through a range of signals can be restricted or blocked immediately, while extra safeguards are used to stop repeat offenders from returning under new identities. In some suspicious listings, buyers are shown a warning before they make contact, reminding them not to transfer money before seeing the vehicle.
For a smaller set of risky adverts, the platform requires licence-plate verification before the listing can go live. Divar says that process is intended only to test whether the advertiser appears to have access to the car and whether the plate matches the information under review; it does not confirm ownership, pricing, document authenticity or the vehicle’s legal or mechanical condition. The company also says the data collected for this check is not shown to the public.
The broader problem is not limited to online car classifieds. Reporting from Digital Trends and Yahoo Finance shows that fraudsters are increasingly using AI-generated or AI-edited images to support fake vehicle insurance claims, including altered number plates and staged damage. That trend underlines the same challenge Divar is facing: as scams become more adaptive, platforms and insurers are having to rely on faster detection systems, but buyers and claimants still need to verify documents, inspect vehicles or evidence in person and avoid paying deposits too early.
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