Boat Sellers Beware

Printed From: Yachts and Yachting Online
Category: Multihulls
Forum Name: Dinghy multihulls
Forum Discription: For those who prefer two (or more) hulls to one!
URL: http://www.yachtsandyachting.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4044
Printed Date: 29 Jun 25 at 7:01pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 9.665y - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Boat Sellers Beware

Posted By: Sprint Bob
Subject: Boat Sellers Beware
Date Posted: 14 Mar 08 at 1:31pm

Please be aware that an internet fraudster is trying to buy boats from various UK class association websites (both the Sprint 15 and the International Canoe have suffered a number of hits). It’s a scam to get money sent to a shipping company, no doub’t it doesn’t exist. You could loose your boat and the cost of shipping as the bankers draft is sure to bounce. Here is some of the messages that have been sent:

HELLO,
AM INTERESTED IN BUYING THE BOAT YOU PLACED ON NET FORSALE.HOWEVER,I WANT TO KNOW THE BEST PRICE FOR IT AND ALSO TO KNOW IF IT'S AVAILABLE FORSALE. DO SEND THE PICS OF IT TO ME AND PLS DON'T HESITATE TO LET ME KNOW ANYTHING YOU FEEL I'D KNOW ABOUT IT.
WAITING FOR YOUR SWIFT RESPONSE.
REGARDS

JAMES M'CHENRY...CENTRUM INC.
MERSEYSIDE,SOUTHPORT.
+44 07045727234.

Note - other names have also been used

The second message reads:

HELLO ,
THANKS FOR THE MAIL YOU SENT TO ME...I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT TELLING ALL I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT....HOWEVER,I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE PRICE IS OKAY BY ME AND AS FOR THE SHIPPING THAT WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM ..I WILL CONTACT A SHIPPING COMPANY THAT WILL HANDLE THE SHIPPING...SO THAT WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM...
AS FOR THE PAYMENT I'LL BE PAYING WITH A BANKER'S DRAFT WHICH'LL BE CASHED EASILY...I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT I'LL BE ADDING THE SHIPPING PAYMENT TO THE DRAFT THAT WILL BE SENT TO YOU IN WHICH YOU WILL DEDUCT YOUR £XXXX AND SEND THE REMAINING BALANCE TO THE SHIPPING COMPANY THAT 'LL BE COMING FOR THE PICK UP AT YOUR PLACE...TO SEND IT OUT I WILL NEED YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS WHERE THE DRAFT WILL BE SENT TO AND PROBABLY YOUR PHONE NUMBER...THIS IS MINE 07045727234....DO SEND THE INFO TO ME ASAP...
HOPING TO HEAR FROM U SOONEST..
REGARDS

So be warned and DO NOT PROCEED.

PS The following describes many of the scams people use to trick sellers:

http://www.boatclassifieds.us/index.php?a=28&b=139 - http://www.boatclassifieds.us/index.php?a=28&b=139

Replies:

Posted By: olly_love
Date Posted: 14 Mar 08 at 5:02pm

i have had one of those as well. oh and by the way im still selling my 14 pm me

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TWO FRANK-Hunter Impala

Posted By: neilw
Date Posted: 27 Jun 08 at 4:54pm

just had a suspect email from mailto:emond1001@yahoo.com - emond1001@yahoo.com via the Y&Y classifieds.

and, yes he's a scammer.

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Posted By: tmoore
Date Posted: 27 Jun 08 at 5:55pm

a good idea for this kind of thing is to put their addy into http://www.rapleaf.com - www.rapleaf.com this will tell you a bit about the person (if they use the interenet often). its not flawless but can help lessen the risks.

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Landlocked in Africa
RS300 - 410
Firefly F517 - Nutshell
Micro Magic RC yacht - Eclipse

Posted By: K6Tony
Date Posted: 17 Sep 08 at 9:56am

I got the following:

2008/9/9 James Machnery < mailto:jamchenry_02@yahoo.co.uk - jamchenry_02@yahoo.co.uk >

HELLO,
AM INTERESTED IN BUYING THE ITEM YOU PLACED ON NET FORSALE.HOWEVER,I WANT TO KNOW THE BEST PRICE FOR IT AND ALSO TO KNOW IF IT'S AVAILABLE FORSALE. DO SEND THE PICS OF IT TO ME AND PLS DON'T HESITATE TO LET ME KNOW ANYTHING YOU FEEL I'D KNOW ABOUT IT.
WAITING FOR YOUR SWIFT RESPONSE.
REGARDS

I then got

HELLO ,
   THANKS FOR THE MAIL YOU SENT TO ME...I REALLY DO APPRECIATE IT TELLING ALL I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT IT....HOWEVER,I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT THE PRICE IS OKAY BY ME....I WILL CONTACT A SHIPPING COMPANY THAT WILL HANDLE THE SHIPPING...SO THAT WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM...
     AS FOR THE PAYMENT I'LL BE PAYING WITH A BANKER'S DRAFT WHICH'LL
BE CASHED EASILY...I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THAT I'LL BE ADDING THE
SHIPPING PAYMENT TO THE DRAFT THAT WILL BE SENT TO YOU IN WHICH YOU WILL DEDUCT YOUR £1,350 AND SEND THE REMAINING BALANCE TO THE SHIPPING COMPANY THAT 'LL BE COMING FOR THE PICK UP AT YOUR PLACE...TO SEND IT OUT I WILL NEED YOUR FULL NAME AND ADDRESS WHERE THE DRAFT WILL BE SENT TO AND PROBABLY YOUR PHONE NUMBER...THIS IS MINE 07045727234....DO SEND THE INFO TO ME ASAP...
    HOPING TO HEAR FROM U SOONEST..
       REGARDS

I then searched on the email address and phone number and found this forum I then sent an abusive email back to him.

Posted By: English Dave
Date Posted: 17 Sep 08 at 2:34pm

I got one of these a couple of years ago. Easy to spot as there are usually basic spelling mistakes. Incidentally, I have found that to sell a boat these days you have to be pretty proactive. Listing it in the small ads and sitting back to wait for the phone to ring doesn't work.

Another thing - always set up a Webmail account for selling your boat. I published my main account in my on-line small-ad and then got spammed to death whereas before my account was spam free. My account is now defended by the mighty GMail Spam-filter.

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English Dave
http://www.ballyholme.com - Ballyholme Yacht Club

(You'd think I'd be better at it by now)

Hurricane 5.9 SX
RS700