Jump to content

Boat scams beware

Stevie101

By Stevie101
in General Boating

 Share

Featured Posts

Stevie101 Contributor

Stevie101

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hi we are looking for a bigger boat and after much looking have spotted a scam out there so I thought I would share with you good people who don't know.

After spotting a suitable boat we emailed the owner.

She accepted our provisional offer and said her husband had died 2 months earlier which is why the boat was going.

As she was up near Aberdeen she would like the deal done via ebay.

She would send a 'private' listing to us and we should 'buy it now' then the boat would be covered by bays money back guarantee.

We would pay for the boat, ebay would hold the money for 3 days while the boat was delivered and inspected and if we were happy the boat would be ours and the monies released.

No.1 she didn't want us to come see the boat before paying (as if)

No.2 ebay a money back guarantee don't include motor vehicles,boats or caravans.

No.3 the ebay link was sent via email not through ebay

No.4 I found the real advert that they had nicked the pictures and blurb from

No.5 I found the scam mentioned on the FAQ page on ebay

 

But just for all the trusting soul's out there that ain't as cynical as myself please be carefull

If the price seems really cheap there is a reason.......

Don't go on 'loot' we found 6 boats with daft prices that are obviously scams, so have reported all the ones that have replied back so far in the same way.

Edited by Stevie101
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Woodstock Rising Star

Woodstock

Posted
Posted

Hi- This woman is very persistent- On one of the narrowboat pages on Facebook, several people have been in "contact" with her. Last I heard- at least 2 people have notified this to the police- it might be worth you contacting them as well. I can't remember which page it was- will try to find it

Link to comment
Share on other sites
IanM Experienced

IanM

Posted
Posted

This same scam is very common with cars advertised on Autotrader, etc.

 

As has been said it is easier to spot with a boat because they quite often list the boat as being somewhere completely inaccessible by water or sell a narrowboat complete with trailer. They just cobble together text and pictures from different adverts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
W+T Influencer

W+T

Posted
Posted

I also have seen a lot of these adds on Gumtree but for motorhomes, but they keep coming on, and the same adds, i thought i was loosing the plot, i am not up on motorhome specs etc but i am ok on prices, these is a tleast 6 now on the first page of motorhomes which around the £6 mark which is for a 2002 era, should be more like £15000 +

 

Complete inbred ingnorant tossers, that what i think of them to say the least.

 

Just be carefull folks

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Dharl Rising Star

Dharl

Posted
Posted (edited)

Yes when we where looking for a Campervan ran into a number of similar adverts on Autotrader, £5k (as a round figure) for a 5 year old converted VWT5 which would be more like £20k........

 

As W+T said if it looks to good to be true it is!

Edited by Dharl
Link to comment
Share on other sites
David Mack Veteran II

David MackDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

I had a similar experience with a National DM2 engine advertised on Gumtree London edition, but apparently located in Dundee. My offer to pay cash on collection was rejected, with a request I pay money into an HSBC account in Luton. A quick look at Google Streetview showed that the particular house number for the address in Dundee didn't exist. Googling the address produced a forum post from a Dutch audiophile who was very upset not to have heard any more after paying out a substantial sum for an upmarket valve amplifier.

 

Be careful out there!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Machpoint005 Veteran II

Machpoint005

Posted
Posted

Lots of sales happen over tinternet every second of every day. A small proportion are criminal in one way or another.

Personally, I wouldn't want to buy anything large or expensive without seeing it first. I found my present car on tinternet, an ex-demo model at a main dealer, but I still went to see it before doing anything else.

 

Boats are in general a lot more expensive than cars.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Lady Muck Veteran

Lady Muck

Posted
Posted

I've had similar with a woman from Aberdeen selling JR puppies. You pay her and she gets them delivered by an animal carrier.

I put it to her that she is a scam. She got a bit upset!

Martyn

Sounds very much like the English Bulldog puppies adoption scam on Facebook, they cobble together a profile, alarm bells rang for me when the photos were obviously taken in the USA - the house, the front garden, the cars, no way are they in the UK. I bet these scams originate in Africa, wherever thry claim to be from.
Link to comment
Share on other sites
peterboat Veteran II

peterboatDonate to Canal World

Posted
Posted

We were involved in the car scam on ebay they even cloned the site! we however had an ace my better half works in a bank and the money could not be moved untill we had the car!! we ruined the scam as the bank locked all the funds down and returned them :) the scammer then sent a mail with attached virus luckily the puter survived! Also in our case the car wasnt to cheap to smell a rat

 

Peter

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 3 weeks later...
Woodstock Rising Star

Woodstock

Posted
Posted (edited)

This looks like another scam

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Narrow-Boat-57-Ft-Cruiser-/271475474669?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3f353300ed

 

No mention of hull maker or any details apart from 2006 cruiser. Look at the questions- No answers apart from ring me. I asked if it was his to sell and he removed the question and didn't answer it. No ebay history either

 

If it is a scam- does anyone know the genuine owner of Waylander

Edited by Woodstock
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Tinhare Contributor

Tinhare

Posted
Posted

If it is a scam- does anyone know the genuine owner of Waylander

Sorry no but this is the boat referred to in the advert. You can just make out the reg number in one of the photos.

 

Waylander Built by Sts Boats - Length 17.374 metres ( 57 feet ) - Beam 2.083 metres ( 6 feet 10 inches ) - Draft 0.559 ( 1 feet 10 inches ). Metal hull, power of 35 BHP. Registered with Canal & River Trust number 514040 as a Powered. Last registration recorded on Wednesday 22nd May 2013.

 

Cheers,

Alan.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Woodstock Rising Star

Woodstock

Posted
Posted

The seller has now added some info:-

 

"Engine barrus shire 1,890 hours ,fuel tank 40 gallons, was blacked last May 2013, straight form , wood flooring, fridge freezer, washing machine ,gas cooker , thetford , c200 cassette, toilet, shower, 3kilowats inverter,5 batteries ,heating system , fire place, 12 volts + 230 volts electrical system, water tank approximately 400L,with 32 inch television , central heating, hot water heating from the engine via twin toilcalorifier."

Link to comment
Share on other sites
IanM Experienced

IanM

Posted
Posted

 

The seller has now added some info:-

 

"Engine barrus shire 1,890 hours ,fuel tank 40 gallons, was blacked last May 2013, straight form , wood flooring, fridge freezer, washing machine ,gas cooker , thetford , c200 cassette, toilet, shower, 3kilowats inverter,5 batteries ,heating system , fire place, 12 volts + 230 volts electrical system, water tank approximately 400L,with 32 inch television , central heating, hot water heating from the engine via twin toilcalorifier."

 

 

Probably lifted straight from someone else's advert.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.