So i'm looking for a little late- model com-pac 'horizon catboat' w/ IBD, and posted on a few sites. Lo: within 24 hours i get a text from 'S A' who claims the following: 'I have a late model 14 Horizon Cat for sale.. she's in storage now ... i work for a dispatcher so i can get you a good shipping rate.. ' 'How long has she been in storage? 'only a few weeks' 'why'? 'i'm not using it anymore..' (meanwhile i log into my search account for his phone number and it shows up as a phished # w no name or address anywhere in USA (1st clue...) ' Where 's the boat ? "Austin TX" 'what lake do you sail it on ? (mumbled answer...) (second clue: only reasonable answers would be Austin, Travis or Ladybird ) ' what inboard engine ? (HzCt 14's have yanmar inboards, 12s have westys ..) 'it's honda...' (3rd clue...) . his cell going mumbly everytime i asked a question, his inability to use adjectives with nouns , and his heavy foreign accent lead to only only one conclusion: SCAM! FRAUD ! this reminds me of the guy who called and emailed in response to my 'sailboat for sale' ad in 1996-- offering full cash sight unseen 9we'', i did have 45 pictures and a maintenance log on line ..) then sending me a forged check, drawn on Maryland State Teachers Pension fund . so my bank would deposit the check, then try to collect from the bank of MSTF --who would tell my bank check was forged and dishonor payment. by the time my bank got news of the forgery in 7 days or so he would have gotten away ww our boat. morale of the story: insist on a w ire transfer w confirmation of funds received. ) We live in difficult times with crooks everywhere. ......
