Selling a boat

I got this e-mail through boats.com today. Does this seem normal? The zip code listed is a Canadian one I think. Here it is:

Mr Mark Schubert Good day to you,
My name is Mr Steve King,the Sales Represantative of EDMUND BOATS located at Unit 2,Enterprise Way, Maxted Close,Maylands Industrial Estate, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire HP2 7YJ.
We are brokers.One of our customers is interested in this boat, Please acknowledge the availability of this boat
and we will instruct the buyer to proceed
with the payment procedures immediately.
Looking forward to hear from you.
Management.

Why did he sign it "Management" when he had already introduced himself? Why would a boat dealer broker the deal for his customer? Would a buyer in his right mind purchase it without at least wanting additional photos? Should I just proceed with caution? For me there is an 03 Mastercraft X-10 waiting for me to buy when I sell this one, and if that's no longer available there is an 05 Mobius LSV.

I think I read about a scam running one month ago. Do a search, I'm pretty sure it was in this forum.

ok....looked at them. Isn't any "broker" honest? Apparently that zip code is in the UK. Which seems to be the hotspot for fraud. I'll see what the check looks like and check it out at the bank. Then hopefully either a.) bust the scammers or b.) sell the boat.

The boat "broker" isn't listed as a dealer or broker on boats.com.

Whatever you do, don't fall for any use of an "escrow" company. Those kind scams are attempted all the time in used car sales over the net.

I'll keep posting on here until whatever happens happens.

He will probably send you a fake cashiers check for over the amount and want you to make a check payable back to him. Don't do it. This is surely a scam.

My wife was contacted by Brokers for someone in South Africa. She wrote them back saying she is refering them to the FBI. Did not hear much after that.

Mark,

Yes this is a scam. I have a car I'm selling and had it listed on Autotrader.com. Basically they send you a mail asking is the car/boat/whatever still for sale and they have some client who is interested. They may even ask for some pictures and things before they send you an email which gives some lame excuse why they have some cashier's check for over the amount, after which you receive and deposit they expect you to western union them money back for the over. The reason I guess this has worked is because a bank will make funds available to you 3 or 4 days after you deposit the check, yet it takes 2-3 weeks to officially clear. At which time if you sent them money you are screwed. I'm surprised that anyone could ever really fall for this, but apparently they have. I've gotten at least 6-8 emails over the past month all like this on my car. Do a search on Nigerian Scam and you will find a lot of info regarding the topic.

It's not a Canadian postal code. Ours are:
Alpha Number Alpha Number Alpha Number (as in V8A 4C2)

If it sounds to good to be true it probably is!!!!!!!!!!

So far, as of today, they are only at offering me a price on it, below what I wanted, but enough to get me out of the boat, and requested some pics. I expect this to be a scam and am going to play it to the point where the bank tells me the check is no good. (Long b4 boat leaves.) And if they or when they come up with a lame excuse then the deal is off. Period. But would love to get them busted.

It's a scam. They tried it on my VW when I was selling it. If you want to give it a shot, go for it. My advice is deal nationally. There you have laws to protect you. Whatever you do, don't western union money to them BEFORE the check clears. That's when the deal is off for them.

Agree. No money goes out of my pocket. Period.

Hi folks, here's the latest:

"Hello Mr Mark, I got your mail.My client accepts to pay 14,500USD,provided what he saw in the picture is the true nature of the BOAT. However,you have to give us sometime to discuss payment. The amount in the check he deposited for the order is bigger than what should be paid to you, though it's meant for the total expenses which includes the purchase , the pick up and the shipping bills. So we want to know if we shall carry on with that or if he will make arragement for another check ASAP. I will get back to you as soon as i conclude issues with him.Please get back to us as soon as you recieve this to indicate your interest to proceed with this transaction. Best Regards, Steve King"

My reply was to send me my portion via Western Union or certified funds "for my portion of the deal and not one penny more."

You won't hear back it is a text book scam!

Mark...cut your losses dude...don't even continue with contacting this person...it's obviously the same scam purported on many others on this website. Let it go...he's not going to buy your boat!!! Definition of insanity: doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results.

Troll him!Jerk him around!Say you want wierd stuff,mess with his mind,and waste his time.
Friend of mine kept one going for weeks!
It was entertaining.

Yep, a scam. Like mentioned above don't continue to correspond with this person, and for sure don't send him any personal information as many of the sites I had browsed over say that in addition to try and scam you if you give them information you can also be an identity theft target to them. There really is no intention of ever picking up the boat (or car, etc whatever), just the I have a check for over the amount blah blah blah send me money back crap.

someone posted a link to a scam like this for a lap top computer sale over the internet. The guy who was selling his computer caught on and figured out a way to take the scammer to the cleaners on freight charges and sent a cardboard computer to the guy. It was a hilarious story if someone has the link they should post it.

http://p-p-p-powerbook.com/

I just read a 28 page PDF and it was everything I thought it could be! Greatness. Thanks for the link.

Hey Mark, maybe you should do like to guy on the powerbook scam did-send them a cardboard cutout of your boat. Would be kinda funny.

This morning they sent me the check over the amount line crap. I told them back that I would not send back one cent and that this whole deal seemed fraudulent also to consider this deal cancelled. Had I not been on WW and read similar types of scams being run (I did read the earlier threads about a month ago.) I may have gone along with it at least up to the point of sending money back without their check clearing first. Thank you Wakeworld for keeping my eyes open for this kind of shinanigans. And just for anyone else out there who may be in a similar situation, here is a copy and paste of the letter I got this morning:

"Hello Mr Mark, Thanks for the mail. Happy to tell you that we have concluded payment with our client. However,he made out a cashier's check of 22,000USD before he travelled ,for a BOAT which he intended buying and its shipment charges,but it was unfortunately sold,so he instructed that the money be remitted to you. The amount on the check he deposited for the BOAT is bigger than what should be paid to you, so the check is now meant for the total expenses which includes the purchase of your BOAT,the pick up of the BOAT from its present location and the shipping charges/other necessary shipping arrangements. However he has instructed us to carry on with this transaction,so you're required to deduct the cost of your BOAT 14,500USD and send the balance of 7,500USD to my client via western union money transfer to enable him offset shippingcharges/arrangements. Once the transaction is concluded,my agent will be coming for the pick up of the BOAT from its present location,and then drive to a pre paid shipper for shipment while title papers and other necessary documets will be handed to the agent at the time of pick up. Take note,my agent will on arrival go for a test to confirm the condition of the BOAT,if it does not meet the taste of my client he would demand for a refund. All documents (mails and pictures) sent to us so far are properly kept for reference purposes. Please remember this is somebody's fortune, this buisness requires utmost trust and sincerity,So Confirm this and provide (1)name,(2)address and(3) phone number for check payment to be delivered to you via courier . Hint: pls. endeavour to remove your advert from the web and will be surpervise when we arrive for the pickup. Signed, Steve King for MANAGMENT


Funny they can't even spell management right.

"Remember this is someone's fortune." Damn right, it's mine!!!!!!!!!

"...so you're required to deduct the cost of your BOAT 14,500USD and send the balance of 7,500USD to my client via western union money transfer to enable him offset shippingcharges/arrangements."

Last time I checked, I'm not required to do jack with my own money.

Yep similar wording to what I was getting on my car. Here is a web address of a guy who messed with a guy scamming him, its at least some funny reading.

http://www.geocities.com/harryblumpkin/imrichbiatch.html

Another site detailing scams:
http://www.carbuyingtips.com/nigerian-scams.htm

email of what I got on the car, mind you this is after I sent a email saying yes the car is for sale, there are already pictures on the ad, and the price is as advertised:

"Hello,
Thanks for your mail.

Due to time constraint on the fact that we are running short of time,actually my client want to use the vehicle as a birthday gift to his wife. I am delighted to tell you that he has commended your vehicle after seeing the pictures you sent and he has instructed me to carry on with this transaction, he also instructed me to inform you that payment will get to you in a cashier check of $54,000, which is
a refund payment of a cancelled order earlier made by my client. Due to
company policy this check has to be made out in this amount to you ,because company policy only allows a refund payment on one cashier cheque.

So you are required to deduct the cost of your vehicle $45,600 when
payment gets to you and refund balance $8,400 to the shipper for him to be
able to offset shipping & tax charges, and other cosmetic repair costs.
After payment has reached you and balance sent to shipper, the
shipper's agent will come for pick up of vehicle & signing of title
papers,handle some cosmetic touches if any and drive to a prepaid shipper to be shipped to my customer.
Confirm this and forward your Names, Address and
Phone number for payment to be made to you as soon as possible.
Best regards to you and your family.
Dr. Nelson"

Just aggravates the hell out of me that people do this :/

one more thing, the majority of people sending me scams had yahoo email, so you can forward their messages to abuse@yahoo.com with message headers turned on to at l;east shut them out of those addresses (not that I guess it does that much good, but anyways).

i like the drama keep the updates coming. msybe you should contact the police to bust this guy.

I have a friend that is a Cyber Cop that has busted lots of internet dirt bags. They have tried to bust these guys before the problem is they are overseas and they can't get there hands on them.

Mark,
I would take that check and deposit it immediately. Inform the bank that you want to know exactly when the check has cleared because you are concerned this is a fraud. That way, if it clears, you have your money. If it doesn't, it is now a Federal offense for check fraud and the Feds will go after this idiot for you. In no way would I send any money to this guy until you 100% have the money in your bank.

That is pretty scary stuff!! Dirt bags!!

Mark,

The address is legitimate, it's an industrial park about 40 mins north of London but the company isn't registered there. Dodgy as.....

Jedi - how much of your profile is true? IT Security? Cool. I wonder if they use that address to pick up their "change". I shoulda made them send me a check.