April 2005 | Issue No. 3



Boat Buyers And Sellers Can Thwart Online Scammers

Submitted by BoatU.S.

Pitfalls to Avoid from BoatU.S.

The Internet can be a great tool for buying or selling a boat.
However, sometimes its murky waters swirl with fraud, con artists, and
scams. To help you avoid these unseen shoals, BoatU.S. Consumer
Affairs has prepared these useful tips.

Tips for Buying A Boat

The first rule to protecting yourself online: never buy an unseen boat.
Arrange a visit to the boat, take it for a test drive, and have a
survey done by a professional marine surveyor.

In one potential scam called "phishing," scammers use some tidbit of
personal information to lure you into divulging financial data such as
credit card numbers, account usernames and passwords, and social
security numbers. This is done by using counterfeit e-mails and
fraudulent websites to fool recipients into believing they are actually
providing the sensitive information to a legitimate company.

You can protect yourself by calling the companies whenever a
questionable situation arises, and unless you are actually paying for
something, never give out any personal information to anyone. Online
window-shopping is fine, but the actual purchase is best made in
person, unless you know that the website is secure and reputable. Also,
try to obtain a physical address rather than merely a post office box,
and a phone number. BoatU.S. strongly urges buyers to decline a
purchase when the seller doesn't provide you with this type of
information. If the seller is company, like a dealer or broker, you can
also check with the Better Business Bureau from the seller's area.

Selling a Boat

One of the most common scams is also the oldest one: the "Nigerian"
scam, which targets individuals who use Internet classified ads to sell
merchandise. Some BoatU.S. members have reported several versions of
the scam, which entails an overseas buyer in Nigeria, London, Bulgaria,
or Canada attempting to buy a boat with a bank draft written for more
than the asking price. The buyer stipulates that the seller must send
back a cashier's check for the overage. Of course, the "buyer's"
check is counterfeit.

To defeat this scam, use an escrow or alternate payment service to buy
the boat, and never send any money back to the purchaser without making
certain that their check has cleared your bank. Also, be aware that
cashier's checks are not considered cash by your bank. The sender of
such a check can always issue a stop payment on the check.

Finally, if you think you have been contacted by an e-mail scammer,
BoatU.S.

Consumer Affairs would like to hear from you. Please send an e-mail to:
.

BoatU.S. Consumer Affairs offers free services to make buying and
selling easier, including the boating industry's only Recall Alert
Registry that tracks safety defects for new and subsequent boat owners.
A National Complaint Database for boats, engines and service providers,
and a Dispute Mediation program are also available. For more
information, visit www.BoatUS.com or call 703-461-2856.

BoatU.S. (Boat Owners Association of The United States) is the nation's
leading advocate for recreational boaters and provides its 580,000
members with a wide array of consumer services.

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