Too good to be true?.

[robbie]

I thought I'd post this just in case anyone trying to sell a boat gets an offer that's too good to be true, OMG how many times are we told never send money to anyone!!!.

This morning I noticed a really nice looking 32' cape island for sale on Kijij, it's just what I've searching for, so I sent an e-mail to the owner, he replied promptly telling me he would send me the details asap, and that he'd had another offer for $800 above his asking price, he was also asked to remove the add from Kijiji...strange I thought, I've NEVER seen a boat sell in the first couple of hours before?.

True to his promise he e-mailed me the last survey report, just for my interest, NOW while sending it he decided to copy his e-mail to the other buyer, here's the other guys reply which I received, maybe by mistake!!, anyway I'm so bloody angry that I have no qualms about posting it here:

I was just thinking you might have had some other buyer's who are very much interested in buying the Boat from you so i think the best way to outbid them is by offering you an Additional $800.CAD to your own asking price on the Kijiji add, I won't be able come for the inspection of the Boat my self due to present Job But But i have a pick-up Agent who will be contacting you about where and when the picking of the Boat will taking place after have completed the payment transaction with you.

I'm actually purchasing the Vehicle for my Parent residing in Quebec . Please tell me a little more about the present mechanical condition and how often you do the service or if possible the history then we can take it from there.

I will wait to read from and if we come to a quick agreement i will proceed with the payment immediately..From: olare79@yahoo.ca.

The story is easy to guess from here guys, buy the time I saw the e-mail and called the guy, who lives in Nova scotia and is retired!!!...it was too late he had paid $800 to a fictitious "pick up agent"!!!

We had a long chat and I felt terrible for the old guy, if I had checked my mail 1 hour earlier I could have warned him that things didn't look right, but all I could do was explain that he was more likely to receive low ball ridicules offers but never more than the asking price.

Anyway I feel better now I've blown off some steam, just be careful out there all.

Robbie

 

[Andy G]

Sorry, I am missing something here. Are you saying that the boat owner paid the purchaser's 'pick up agent' the $800. The email doesn't indicate this.

 

[robbie]

Yes Andy he did, the suspect buyer contacted him again and asked him to pay the $800 to the "pick up agent" as a fee.

I didn't want to pry too much as he was quite upset and obviously rather embarrassed by the whole affair, can't say that I blame him.

There really are some scum bags out there!!.

 

[BruceK]

Maybe it doesn`t make sense because it`s a scam.
Interesting the "buyers email" calls the boat a "vehicle". Someone forget to change the template when this one was for a boat, instead of the usual motor car?

 

[siestakey]

Robbie

Thanks for posting

Amazing the things people will do to try to take advantage of others.

 

[Peter B]

The whole thing sounds weird. Why would a seller send any money to any prospective buyer, or their pick-up agent. The money usually changes hands in the other direction. In this case the prospective buyer had already offered $800 more than the asking price. Once he found out there was another interested party, if bone fide I would have thought he would be sending the deposit in damn quick, not asking for money from the seller. One wonders if the seller had all his marbles, or was he in on the scam, with the idea being Robbie is enticed into upping the offer to gazump the other so-called buyer, only for there to be no boat, once money had changed hands. Sounds like Nigerian type scam to me. Robbie, I think you were well advised to run a mile - you have haven't you..?

 

[robbie]

Gday Pete,

I've had a long chat with the owner, he seems to be very nice old guy, he is French from New Brunswick so his English leaves a lot to be desired, the boat is registered in NB, so I've no problem with the seller, I may go to visit the boat next week, I haven't discounted it outright, I believe he just fell for the scam as do many older people.
I get the impression he was told the "agent" would be bringing a bankers cheque for the full amount, but needed his commission before he started any transaction, so there we have it, hook, line and sinker as we say!!.

I have a another boat to visit next week that's in Newfoundland, still a 10 hour steam to get her back if I decide to buy, and I'm pleased it's still a buyers market out there, I have no intentions of rushing into a purchase, anyway it's getting towards end of boating season here, so I might even wait until next year to buy.
Robbie