Used car dealer preying on young first time car owners

Online, used car dealer Mezin Hadad poses as a businessman of luxury, surrounded by super cars and super yachts.

But without a Queensland motor dealer's licence, all he's got to show is a long line of angry customers.

Sienna Stephens borrowed $5000 from her dad to purchase a car from Hadad after moving from Tasmania to Queensland to start her first job as a nurse.

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"He said the car will be fully serviced, we will fix the paint job, the car will be beautiful," she said.

Upon purchasing the car, Stephens said she noticed oil was leaking onto the ground from the vehicle, and she never received the roadworthy certificate he promised.

When Stephens and her partner confronted Hadad with their concerns, she claims he became aggressive.

"Once he feels questioned then his demeanour switches immediately and he can be quite scary," Stephens said.

"He targets people like me, like the young people, the people that don't know anything about cars, the people in a tough spot."

Another victim, who did not want us to use her name, said she had "never come across someone like (Hadad) before".

A family member of hers bought a small hatchback from Fair Dinkum Autos.

They were still waiting for the roadworthy they were promised, when the car's engine light came on.

An independent mechanic told them there was a concerning amount of oil underneath the vehicle and recommended they return the vehicle.

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"When I showed him I knew he'd been banned and that he shouldn't be operating," the woman said.

"That's when he shut me down he said 'you're just a woman I'm not talking to you, I'll talk to your husband'.

"(He is) clearly a bully and just wanting to threaten and assert his power and hope that you'll go away."

She eventually got a refund and said she hopes others who weren't as lucky "can somehow get their money back".

Anita and her partner Shane, who run the local mechanic shop, claim Hadad owes them over $9000.

"We have three of his cars here, which we have told him he is not getting until he pays that account," Anita said.

"I'm devastated, I mean - that's money that could go to our workers, that's money that could pay the power bill or the rent for the month.

"It's like, you work hard and for what - just get kicked in the teeth."

According to Hadad's YouTube channel, he imported and exported cars all around the world before setting up Maz's Autos in Sydney's south west.

It became 'Best Buy Autos', which Hadad claims traded vehicles at locations from Cabramatta to Dubai.

Hadad no longer has any association with any Best Buy Autos dealership and the new owners aren't accused of any wrongdoing.

But in 2017 the wheels fell off for Hadad when he was reprimanded by ASIC for some of his business dealings in New South Wales.

Hadad then moved his dealership 'Best Buy Auto Group' to the Gold Coast.

Last year the Office of Fair Trading ordered him and his company to pay $127,000 in fines and compensation for breaches including harassment and coercion of customers.

He was also permanently banned from holding a dealer's licence in Queensland.

Despite the ban, it appears Hadad is back to his questionable tactics at Fair Dinkum Autos in Moreton Bay, north of Brisbane.

He's not the listed owner, but A Current Affair has been told he represents himself as the boss, to customers.

When A Current Affair visited the dealership, workers told us Hadad was overseas.

But only days later he appeared in the car yard, and was quick to dart away, when he spotted our cameras.

Principal investigations officer at the Office Of Fair Trading Carolyn Morgan said operating as a motor dealer while unlicensed could result in up to two years in jail.

"This sort of behavior is really unscrupulous," Morgan said.

"There's severe penalties that come along with that, like a $61,000 fine, or up to two years imprisonment."

The Office of Fair Trading has confirmed it's now investigating.