Came up with another idea, Call random numbers in India and ask about all the Extended Car Warranties available.
My I/O is for sale on boatrader.com Is this query a scam?
- Thread starter shemandr
- Start date
selling our boat via various ads including good old boat , w/ reply to my phone or email address. . got an offer by email one night (at 2 am) w/o any phone contact, agreeing to pay ask price plus $5K transport cash w/ name of "hauler in NY" who will be there to 'pick up boat' . (christmas week in december/ on the shores of lake erie ? at a marina closed for the season ?) the check came in the us mail to me (which proves they can ID you from phone/ email addresses. ) check was posted from nyc for 30K drawn on account of 'maryland state teachers credit union' dated chrismas eve 12-24..(what credit union works on cristmas eve ???) . i took it to my bank , they said 'it looked legit.' i insisted my bank call to the MSTCrU treasurer. a few days after chrismas news came back from my bank: ' a number of our c hecks were stolen...' so it's a forged totally invalid check. i waited and began getting frantic daily emails from the 'transport company ' in nyc wanting to know when they'd get their $$, all of which i ignored... then a nice couple called on the phone.. we talked .. they asked many good questions. they came to see it on the hard in april... they sent a real certified check which my bank verified was good... they drove in from OH , and sailed it away.
Update: The scammers have continued and I ignore them. But yesterday I got a solicitation from a lady in Selden NY who was selling advertising on a website boatsfsbo.com. They want $299 for an ad that will run in perpetuity. I went to the site and couldn't navigate to see more than a couple of boats and those are all over the world. Has anyone had dealings with this organization or even heard of them?
Haven't heard of boatsfsbo.com, their website seems a little antiquated and the advertising price sort of expensive.
Have you looked at Boat Trader - #1 marketplace to buy & sell boats in the US They are owned by the same company that runs yachtworld.com and boats.com.
In the current environment, finding a buyer might be tough.
Have you looked at Boat Trader - #1 marketplace to buy & sell boats in the US They are owned by the same company that runs yachtworld.com and boats.com.
In the current environment, finding a buyer might be tough.
I get a message like the one you posted whenever I list something priced over about $100 to craigslist. The scammers don’t seem much interested in the “cheap” stuff. I guess there’s a profit margin to be considered. The last one I just told to go away right at the start. Haven’t heard from that one again. I also don’t respond to questions about bottom-dollar price. I tell ‘em to come look at the item, make me a cash offer, and then we’ll know.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,072
I am not too sure they even care about a profit margin. I think it is more likely they have had success with owners of more expensive boats. Perhaps more anxious to sell. Perhaps more gullible. After all if they were smart and rich the theory goes they would have a broker doing it and not be concerned about the fee.
For them it is the same amount of work to answer a $100 ad with the promise to pay you 3 times the ask for the convenience of letting their friend pick the boat up as a $30,000 or $300,000 ad.
Then there are the folks in divorce situations with the ex selling the boat not caring about the price.
Scamming looks like a business to me. They buy low, or steal, and then resell. As you say, it’s the same amount of “work” to scam for an item listed for $30,000 as it is for one listed at $500. But based on % mark-up, you get more cash in the pocket scamming the higher-priced listings. At some point, say items listed at $100 to $200, it’s just not worth to them, etc. Just MHO.
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