Scam boats on craigslist

Scam boats on craigslist
Why can't craigslist control the scam artist on that site. I click the prohibited the link each time I scanned through it but it does no good there right back the next day .
Does anyone really think they're getting a four year old ranger for $2000.

I am sure some idiot does, probably why the ads are on CL

When I was looking for a boat last year, I couldn't believe how many scam postings were on there. I flagged every one I came across & even though they would be removed, they would pop back up within a day or 2...

Must be a Metro Mess thing.

What's the scam? How do they get your $2000 and not give up a boat and title?

They always say something like I'm selling this boat for my relative and it can be delivered to you once you pay ,that's just one of the many scams they run
I think there's a PayPal scam maybe a Western Union scam

Most if not all, have a email address visible in the posting....they only want to correspond via that email, no phone calls, no texting....The boat will be in another state & if you want it you need to send money to hold it for you. Thats why they put such a crazy low price, so you'll act fast so as not to miss out on such a great deal....:)

Damn nigerians!

I've got buddy's who have put other dudes boats for sale, smoking deals, then the owner gets 500 texts and calls about his boat, pretty big PITA. Hilarious

My friend did that to me. But it was because he left town for a long weekend and I put a "For Sale" sign in his front yard with his cell number on it. So I deserved it.

I agree with being sick of the scams, especially when taking advantage of somebody's elderly grandmother. If one of y'all get scammed by sending money or account info to somebody online for a supposed boat you'll get later maybe you deserve it?! :-)

as a general rule on any net ad if it is priced way below market it is a scam . another sign of a scam is no phone number.

Just because something is priced lower than market doesn't make it a scam and neither does no phone # being listed.
Clearly if something is worth 10k plus and it's listed for $2k and you send money to them, that's just foolish. That being said, I've bought stuff worth $1500-2000 for $200-500 in person without flaw. Don't send money to some random stranger on craigslist, sometimes there is good deals that seem too good to be true but are legit and somebody just needs the money. But don't be an idiot and send money to someone who's selling it for their friend or who is overseas and can't meet in person. That's the oldest scam in the book.
I list 5-10 things for sale on craigslist per month. I don't put my phone number because when I do, i get spam phone calls for weeks. If someone emails me and seems legit I'll give them my number. I have never had a problem on craigslist with this method even contacting someone else through email. If the ad isn't in the same format as other craigslist ads (such as bolded text, bigger words etc) chances are it is a scam.

Phone number anyone can buy a magickJak for like $40 and pick any area code and appear to have a local number.

Go to any internet café and post an add using the MagicJak number and have the money sent via Western Union or other money transfer system and not a darn thing the US authorities can do to touch the scammer.

That's stolen stuff. Normally

Well, it's not just a Metro Mess thing. I found a jon boat I wanted for use in the river here, and the guy jumped on my offer, then proceeded to say he had clear titles and the TX was just renewed, but he would have to get the paperwork from the dealer in Austin. The boat is registered to someone in San Antonio and hasn't been renewed since 2004.

Sounds like a voice of experience......but your from the Philippines, not Nigeria!

This^^^.

Well, i found a 25 hp johnson in fl for $1600. Thanks. I havent used CL. Guess Ill pass. Whats to keep one from posting a normal price and scamming you.

So many autos for sale by owner are either rebuilt titles or people selling cars on the side.

Many scams out there and people pay the money upfront all the time! Big scam going on right now involves buying puppies. These people from other countries and here in the states are easily making 6 figures monthly off these scams. If you can't touch it and see it in person then don't buy it is my advise. Only use paypal or pay cash face to face transaction. Never pay upfront for anything and never wire money to anyone. This is a huge problem with no real solution other than common sense. Check out the websites and confirm a actual business exist in the locations given and do your homework before you buy anything off line.

make sure the person receiving the funds is the one that good titles an registration for the trailer is in their name otherwise unless they are a dealer it is illegal for them to sell it.

I bought one off craigslist and turned out to be a fellow TFF guy . No phone number to reply to do not waste your time. Plenty of junk on there, but not all.

I had a sorry friend had my electric turned off one time rural.

Certainly not true. I never post my number because that's how you get spam. My brother just sold his bandsaw and was inundated with spam text.

Receiving an email to determine someone's legitimacy is the best way to do it. Once I know they're not spam, I send them my number.

Wow

This isn't rocket science. if the seller is not willing to meet F2F with clear title to boat, motor, and trailer, and willing to go to TP&W and DMV to do the transfers, walk away from the deal. There are too many out there to risk being scammed and ripped of regardless of how much you think you like the boat.

The thing that throws me a scam flag is a post with no phone #. If someone is really wanting to sell, they will include a phone # and
some sellers only want to text which is another scam flag. If I am going to pay cash, I am going to talk to somebody or pass that ad up.

I met 4 or 5 differnt people before I bought my boat face to face and all had phone numbers on page. Just saying.

guy I bought boat from was getting hammered from idiots but lets just say his boat sold.

Sold two boats on Craigslist and had no issues. Never bought one there but would at least check them out if I was in the market. Not sure why anyone would buy sight unseen

As far back as recorded history the advice (in ancient Latin) was Caveat Emptor. Translates as Buyer Beware.

Anyone that sends money to a seller up front is a fool, and as it has also been said "A fool and his money are soon parted."

Just send me $1,000.00 and I'll give you a lesson that will save you many more thousands, it will save you tens of thousands of dollars, it will save you hundreds of thousands of dollars over the rest of your lifetime. Imagine all the boats you can buy with those savings! It's an incredible deal for you! It's a once in a life time deal that expires tomorrow! Get it now while you can! Hurry before you miss out on incredible savings!

there is one with pay pal if you are selling told him I didn't have pay pal and they will send info how to make a pp account

I recently bought a boat and did the registration and tags. The TP&W have changed some of their paperwork. I had to fill it out in person and show ID. They said it was because of all the Craigslist scams. Smh.

i haven't been on the buying side of it but i listed one to sell and had more scammers contact me than legit buyers lol

I currently have a lower unit on craigslist, and I only want to be emailed thru craigslist that way no spam. I am hard of hearing, CL has my phone number (I think) but it is not posted for others to use. Recently sold the tilt/trim off that same motor with no problem contacting each other thru email, once the buyer was really interested then I sent them my personal number.

I've sold many items on craigslist, mostly farm items. Usually get several text messages from scammers offering to send a cashier's check and will send someone to pick up the items after the check is cleared. They almost always ask something about the condition of the item, the immediately say they will take it and send the cashiers check.

But it is an easy way to list and has wide readership from legitimate buyers and sellers. Just too many scammers mixed in. I never tell them where the items are located until after we have had a phone conversation and it is apparent they are legitimate.

If I am suspicious, I tell them to meet me at the bank with cash. No one has been successful at getting to me yet, but they are not very sophisticated with their approach.

No phone number and I don't even bother with trying to get in touch. No phone # and they don't want to sell very bad.

Not to Hijack a thread here but there is a so-called "S/SGT. Donna Smith" (USAF) that scams RV Trailers

How can they scam you if they let you cash the check before they pick up the item?

2 yrs ago I received a call from a guy in Illinois stating he had received a check from my company for a deposit on an apartment he had for lease. The note wanting him to cash it and pay the shipper for moving the renters car there and the check came in a FedEx box. I went to my bank and closed my accounts and opened new ones. 2 calls and an email requesting funds were received by them while I was there. Somehow they had gotten my tracking and routing number and started printing checks on my company sending them to hundreds of Craigslist sellers all over the US and Hawaii for payment on many different items. I received calls for almost a year from people that received a check from me I didn't write. I almost found him in Colorado. I wanted to take him shark fishing for being so nice to me and others.
I never include a phone number when selling on Craigslist. Email me your phone number and I'll call you first. There are many honest folks in the world but the few crooks have made it difficult for us to be trusting of others.

Is there an updated proforma that goes with this business plan?

Because the "cashiers check" they send is always for several thousand more than the price of the item. They'll have you immediately send the 'extra' to them by Western Union.

By the time the bogus cashiers check is returned unpaid, the money you wired is long gone.

I thought a cashiers check is good as gold once cashed. Is this not the case? Maybe I am thinking of a money order. If I cannot cash their cashier's check, then I don't have their extra money to wire back, it would seem. In other words, they don't get their money until I get mine. Guess I'm the only dummy here that can't understand this scam.

They're usually good counterfeits or forgeries. Your bank will typically accept them for deposit into your account, and when it bounces, you're stuck with it.

I have a bogus check (which I didn't try to deposit) that a CL scammer sent me a few years ago. If I can find it, will post photos so you can see how it could fool an average bank teller.

Either Bank Wire transfer or Cash is about all I would take for anything now of days.

I would get a marker pen to check the bills.......

I just bought a boat on CL. Started off w emails then msgs. After that a few phone calls. I can tell both the seller and myself (buyer) were both a bit leery of each other at first because of the scamming that has happened. Be smart about things is just about all I can say- I know that is a pretty broad brush stroke but just be on the cautious side. The folks that i bought the boat from seemed like pretty nice people and we picked it up at their church before some church activities. Very happy w the rig.

I've sold/bought many things on CL. Haven't ever listed my number on an ad yet, not once. I've also contacted folks that don't list numbers. If you will just follow your gut, and your own sense, you will know what's too good to be true and what's for real.

Craigslist can be challenging for newbys but like other merchant sites, do your due diligence and there are deals to be made. I have bought and sold several hundred items on C=list and have only a few bad experiences with no scams to report. My bad experiences were due to my negligence in completely checking out the item (sink had a scratch, furniture had missing screws) BUT, I buy cash only, face to face, in a public space. I sell the same way.