I did test drive a used 4Runner once and the dealer told me it was 4x4. It wasn't. If I wasn't familiar with 4Runner enough to know that it was missing the shift lever I might have been duped. That was the only 4runner I've ever actually seen that was 2wd, so even for someone who knows the difference it wasn't obvious. It also had a 4x4 emblem on the back. Shady dealers do shady things... fake badges are not uncommon.
https://jalopnik.com/do-dealerships-put-fake-badges-on-cars-1755147997
Also - another funny story about the same sort of issue. On a construction job once we were using a client's F550 dump truck along with our own dump truck to haul in some landscaping materials. It was a little muddy and I couldn't get the 4x4 to engage. I had no idea what was going on. I moved the lever. No front drive. I looked and there were no locking hubs. Turns out the truck had some aftermarket wheel covers and there were locking hubs inside. I had no idea not being familiar with the truck that it had locking hubs hidden inside the wheel covers. I had just assumed that no one was still selling trucks with manual hubs. Just one of those things that you might not know if you were new to this type of thing.
My main point is simply that I've been there too. Seems silly not to know, but I can see how it happens. Especially if you've never owned a 4x4 before.