Beware Of Buying A Boat On Ebay

[nina]

I received this update today in my email inbox from what seems to be a reliable, experienced narrowboat enthusiast/liveaboard based at Napton marina (I think) so thought I'd post. Obviously you have to be careful with Ebay anyway but this article gives explains some of the pitfalls that might be out there if you're not careful.

 

http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=bc3bb91ed36c434251aabfbf4&id=76946f330c&e=1f65e285b4

[The Pipe]

Yes. And you have to register to find out! I don't think I shall bother.

[Guest wanted]

I received this update today in my email inbox from what seems to be a reliable, experienced narrowboat enthusiast/liveaboard based at Napton marina (I think) so thought I'd post. Obviously you have to be careful with Ebay anyway but this article gives explains some of the pitfalls that might be out there if you're not careful.

 

http://us1.campaign-archive1.com/?u=bc3bb91ed36c434251aabfbf4&id=76946f330c&e=1f65e285b4

Is there a way to read it without signing up for the news letter?

[mrsmelly]

Yes. And you have to register to find out! I don't think I shall bother.

 

mmmmmmm I too was thinking just that.Another scam post. Think I have enough boat buying and ebay experience to put such an email from my inbox straight into the " Junk " folder.

[Grace and Favour]

Uhuh!

 

I don't think I'll subscribe.

 

In fact - I get a sneaky feeling that this is not the first time that this forum has been pointed to a link for this 'publication'

[ditchcrawler]

Yes. And you have to register to find out! I don't think I shall bother.

 

Just what I was going to say. Also from what I could read it says ebay scam and then talks about Boats and Outboards.

[Guest wanted]

I've received emails from him for a while. You do have to register and log in but I think that's his way of managing his audience. Sending unsolicited emails is a nightmare with all kinds of consequences from the internet police.

I've never had to pay to join and he's genuine. His information is quite helpful. I think he's based at Napton and is quite well known locally.

I dont doubt that but I want to choose what ends up in my inbox and when. copy and paste?

[Chris Pink]

..

Edited February 5, 2012 by Chris Pink

[Grace and Favour]

Your link is dodgy. What exactly is us1.campaign-archive1.com?

 

It's a guy whom, I suspect, is sourcing information so he can make money from a website

His details are: paul.smith@livingonanarrowboat.co.uk

[Guest]

Some disconnection going on here I think -

 

Want A Bargain Narrowboat From Ebay?

 

A few days ago, I received an email from subscriber Sylvia Archer-Longden. She and her husband have been trawling the Internet looking for narrowboats. They found one advertised on the Boats & Outboards web site that they liked the look of. The photographs were appealing, the price was amazing and the seller was quick to respond, but all was not well in virtual narrowboat land. Here's why you need to be very careful buying online

 

The source of Nina's email seems to be confusing buying on eBay specifically with buying on the internet generally...

[Angel]

Hi, We bought our second boat on e-bay and have not looked back. She was one year old and never been used (as new)didn't go in the water until her second year. That was Severn year's ago, she is now eight year's old and still looking good, we have so many people asking us if we would sell her, so many think that she is new, well we have taken very good care of her. Having said that we are not one of the shining boat parade, we are out and about all year Weather permitting.

 

What I would say is that you really do know what your looking at, if you want an old boat because of price then you must take it at face value and be prepared to do work.

[Chris Pink]

Purely from the realms of internet laws, and I have a commercial web site with a subscription newsletter option although nothing to do with boats, it seems to me, by just what I've read, that Paul is being mindful of the potential for him to be blocked online by being accused of scamming. That's why he's asking you to subscribe. Once you've clicked on the link, you've agreed to receive emails to your inbox by him. That's all normal internet practice, I can't see anything dodgy about his activities.

 

I signed up a while ago and I think I've received about 2 newsletters so he's hardly intrusive. He's not asked me to pay anything or pestered me in any way so I can't see how it's a scam.

 

How he gets his information is another matter but as far as I know he is a genuine liveaboard with a lot of experience in narrowboating.

 

 

 

I don't think this is correct. I signed up to his newsletter a while ago and I've never been asked to pay anything. I still haven't.

 

 

 

 

All this means is that Paul can't be accused of sending spam. By registering, you've agreed to him sending you solicited mail. It's all to do with various internet anti spamming laws. Nothing more than this.

 

So why you just tell the forum what the scam is? That's what forums are for. Not to sign people up to exploitative sites like this.

 

For someone of your intelligence this smacks of disingenuity.

[Guest]

All this means is that Paul can't be accused of sending spam. By registering, you've agreed to him sending you solicited mail. It's all to do with various internet anti spamming laws. Nothing more than this.

 

I'm open to correction Nina - but so far I can't see why anybody would sign up, given the link refers to a Sylvia Archer-Longden finding a boat that is on the Boats & Outboards web site with photos hosted on photobucket, where do eBay come in to it???

[Tacet]

The basic scam is universal - you send the money and never see the boat. The slight twist is that following your expressed interest in the Boats & Outboards ad, the nice seller lists it as a "buy it now" on ebay because he/she assures you, that this way you will be protected by its policies - but you're not.

 

The lesson, which is not a difficult one, is not to pass large sums of money to strangers without ensuring that you will actually get what your buying.

[Dyad]

I would expect anyone buying anything from ebay that is of a substantial sum like a boat would go and see it first before bidding.

[Chris Pink]

Thanks I can't see any scam. A scam to me is when someone asks you for your credit card number. Maybe I'm having a blonde moment?

But anyway to be fair, I can't get into the link either at the moment so I can't say. Let me see if I can log in tomorrow.

 

I guess you must be, whatever a blonde moment is, I refer you to your link to a page entitled; Beware The Ebay Buyer Protection Narrowboat Scam which provides no information simply leading to a page entitled; Beware The Ebay Buyer Protection Narrowboat Scam

 

So once again, are you going to tell what the scam is or simply try and entice people to sign up to this dodgy site?

 

edited to bold the word Scam just in case you are having another 'blonde' moment.

Edited February 5, 2012 by Chris Pink

[RLWP]

We have been here before, haven't we Nina?

 

http://www.canalworld.net/forums/index.php?showtopic=43898&st=0&p=809316entry809316

 

Any stuff copied from this forum in the article I can't read?

 

Richard

[Tam & Di]

Deleted as my post was irrelevant. Nina's just promoting this guy she's already written about before. Not sure why.

Edited February 5, 2012 by Tam & Di

[simon&jan]

Hi all ,i too get random emails from this guy , must ave signed up to it sometime the memory aint wot it used to be ! Just out of interest i too have never really been able to get on the site and when i go to log in i realise i allready am ! Bizzare ,not cost me owt like

[Ally]

This is just an annoyance. Unless you are subscribed you can't read it, and Nina won't say what it's all about.....I'm off!

[PhilR]

So is anyone going to give advice about buying a boat on eBay? ................

[carlt]

Why is this "subscriber only" blog still being touted here?

 

I suspect a scam.

 

So is anyone going to give advice about buying a boat on eBay? ................

Yes.

 

It is exactly the same as buying a boat anywhere else.

 

Look carefully, ask lots of questions, get a survey if you don't trust your own judgement and, with Ebay, don't catch auction fever.

Edited February 6, 2012 by carlt

[kitman]

I was interested initially, now I have to sign up ?? I don't have time to deal with the potential fall out from registering with this stranger's website.

 

A little harsh of me probably, but why risk it?

 

Nothing personal Nina, I'm just paranoid!

[Laurence Hogg]

Total scam email, why do the moderators not pull these off? That would send the message home.

[by'eck]

For the record this is the article that Paul Smith published on his (subscription only) blog. The spelling mistakes are his I just re-inserted the photo link.

 

Beware The Ebay Buyer Protection Narrowboat Scam

 

 

A few days ago, I receceived an email from subscriber Sylvia Archer-Longden. She and her husband have been trawling the internet looking for narrowboats. They found one advertised on the Boats & Outboards web site that they liked the look of. The advert was a free listing on Boats & outboards, but the photo’s of the boat were on photobucket.com. In fact, they still are. It looked a fantastic deal, but was it real?

 

They contacted the “seller” to confirm the price. They wanted to confirm the price because, quite frankly, they didn’t believe it. After you see the photo’s you won’t either. The narrowboat being offered for sale was three thousand eight hundred and fifty pounds. I’ve written the price in full so that you don’t think I’ve simply put the decimal point in the wrong place. Now have a look at the photo’s but please come back. You need to hear the rest. Narrowboat photo’s

 

 

Ebay Buyer Protection Scheme Scam

 

What did you think? Not bad for the price is it? I’m not keen on the decour inside but I could live with it for that price. That’s what Sylvia thought too. She emailed the seller asking for more information. Here’s the reply she received…

 

“Hello,

 

Its still for sale. Immaculate condition, no damages, nothing to worry about. All necessary documents available. My current location is Scotland due to my work commitments,If this is going to be a quick sale, I will let it go for £3,850 delivered at my costs. Are you familiar to eBay? I will list the boat on eBay Motors for the £3,850 buy it now price and I will send you a link to my auction, so you can buy it immediate.

 

As soon as you will confirm the payment to eBay, I will proceed delivery without any additional costs for you.

 

In case you are not familiar with them, please read their Buyer Protection and will see that they cover 100% the transaction done through them up to £50,000. You will receive the boat with all the documents. As you know eBay is the best company of online transactions. If indeed interested in buying it and have the funds, I will list it on eBay, as I have a 100% positive feedback with them.

 

Please let me know your decision.

 

Thank you.”

 

Sylvia was intrigued but still suspicious. She asked the seller for more information. Here’s the reply…

 

“I have requested personal support and I was approved to use Buyer Protection Program. Here is how the process works through the Buyer Protection Program:

 

- I make the private listing on eBay for you,

- you go and buy it through their website,

- you have to pay for the item to eBay to secure the funds,

- they confirm me that they received the funds,

- I deliver the boat,

- you receive the boat,

- they send me the money,

 

Everything is covered by eBay. I will get paid only after you confirm that you received the boat in good order.

Let me know if this is acceptable. Thank you”

 

Sylvia, fascinated, suspicious (and just a tiny bit excited) asked for clarification of the deal…

 

“Hello Debra, my husband and I are VERY INTERESTED in perhaps purchasing the boat BUT………… let us get this correct. You want £3.850 {three thousand eight hundred and fifty pounds } AND you will deliver at that price ?

Could you confirm this please?

I take it she needs fitting with engine, heating and lighting etc? As we have seen no description of her ?

We are serious buyers, with the cash to hand, but of course need to get this right,

I appreciate the way you are dealing with Ebay and will gladly use them should we buy ?”

One last email from seller “Debra”…

“Yes 3,850 pounds including delivery . The engine work very well .

 

No major work needed never had any problems last serviced at this start of summer. Nothing broken, no hidden issues.

Let me know if you want list it on eBay.”

It was at this stage that Sylvia emailed me as she was understandably still unsure. “What do they have to gain if the transaction is covered by Ebay’s Buyer Protection scheme?” she asked.

I’ll tell you what they have to gain Sylvia. Your money. It’s a scam. “Debra” claimed that the transaction would be covered by the Buyer Prtection scheme. It wouldn’t be. Vehicles are covered by Ebay’s scheme in the USA, but not in the UK. Here’s a list of their exclusions…

Exclusions from eBay Buyer Protection

 

eBay Buyer Protection doesn’t cover services and certain categories of goods, false, abusive or illegitimate cases, or purchases where you have been or may be compensated by another third party. The following purchases are excluded:

 

 

items that violate our Prohibited or Restricted Items Policy;

 

 

intangible goods;

 

 

custom made items;

 

 

airline flight tickets;

 

 

eBay classified style listings;

 

 

licences;

 

 

access to digital content,

 

 

anything that’s equivalent to cash (including retail gift cards); and

 

 

items listed or that should be listed (under our listing policy) in these categories are also not covered (if an item, which should be listed in one these categories has been incorrectly listed in another category, which is not excluded under this Policy, we will accept the case subject to the other terms in the Policy):

 

 

Businesses for sale

 

 

Specialty services

 

 

Vehicles (including, without limitation, motor vehicles, motorcycles, caravans, aircraft and boats, tractors and ride-on lawnmowers);

 

 

Gift certificates

 

 

Residential Property (Real Estate)

 

There were a number of warning signs common in scams of this type throughout the seller’s communication…

She claimed to be out of the country (Scotland) because of work commitments. It’s common for criminals to claim that they can’t be on hand due to work commitments or personal issues

The price was ridiculously low. It should have been at least ten times as much

“Debra’s” emails were generic. They mentioned “the item” rather than specifics about the boat.

The emails were poorly written and grammatically incorrect

There were no details about the boat. “Debra” just provided a link to photo’s hosted on Photobucket

 

Sylvia could have had a nasty introduction to narrowboat ownership. She said in one of her emails to me, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is” I agree Sylvia. I hope the next narrowboat you look at is a lot more expensive!