Flim-flam Artists Prey Upon Sellers and Buyers

Drew Frye

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You will get crank requests for information. The most dangerous are those offering to buy the boat sight unseen. For example, the person described below has not seen the boat perfect since I had not shown the boat and had only cleaned it of clutter that day. The most obvious protections are to meet face-to-face, and to accept payment by wire transfer or cash only, since cashiers checks can be counterfeit. Use the services of a documentation and title company for larger boats. If a cashiers check is the only practical means, do not release the property until the check has cleared.

July 28, 2017

Hello,

I am Mr. XXXX YYYY. I am interested in 1997 PDQ Altair l am an expert professional seaman, retired merchant navy Captain, sailing instructor, so let me know in advance of any defects in your boat, because otherwise l will find it myself. l need a complete set of photos, outside, inside, engine and inventory. Fair price according to boat condition. Awaiting your response. My job involves a lot of travel. Kindly get back to me with your personal E-mail address we can communicate more better and secured.

Or like this . . .

August 4, 2017

Good morning, Thanks for your response. A friend came to inspect the Boat, He told me everything is perfect due to my job like i said, I do always on the road for business trips. And i will like you to fill out the document i attached for you so we can make arrangement for the payment and all necessary paper work to sign on. [Be wary of opening attachments-I did not open this one.]

Other scams can include PayPal (they ask for your ID, pay more than asked, and ask for the overage to be sent to a non-existent shipper), escrow scams (they suggest a fake escrow agent), and countless e-mail scams. Keep your eyes open and use the services of a professional title and documentation service of your choosing.

Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Supported entirely by subscribers, Practical Sailor accepts no advertising. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him by email at practicalsailor@belvoir.com.