boat buyer scam?

[all2matt]

I got a text thism morning from a guy with a 919 area code (north carolina) asking if my boat was for sale and I quickly repsonded YES, and to give me a call if he had questions. so a couple hrs later I get a text saying the price is OK and that he wanted to buy it and asked if I had a paypal acct, please respond ASAP. So I replied no paypal acct, so i tried calling with no responce. I googled paypal scam and it looks like this may be a possibilty. Has anyone on here had a similar event?

[jhersey29]

PayPal screws the seller in a dispute. Use it very cautiously. I've been burned by that company for an item delivered and proof of delivery provided.
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[shag]

I would stay away

[Evening Shade]

Sounds like a scam to me. Every time is sell something on craigslist I get similar emails. I always respond by telling them to call me and we can arrange to meet. They never call unless they are legit.

[all2matt]

That's what I was thinking

[theskunk]

[8urchvy]

Yep. Scam. Don't send your info.

[seth]

SCAM

[LakeBill]

I lost count of the same contacts when I sold my previous boat. If you Craigslist anything of value expect this SCAM. Don't reply except to tell them to piss off.


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[BoardSkier]

Agree. A serious buyer will meet in person, want a sea trial and will bring cash or other verified funds. A scam. If it sounds too good, too easy it's not.


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[phataz]

Ok well i bought my boat i have now off here and started off sending emails saying i wanted to buy the boat but couldnt come and see it and could i please have a phone number to ring it took a while but i got a number in the end and dennis was shocked i was going to buy his boat from the other side of the world and have it shipped here , i got a friend to go pick it up for me and until my mate turned up to dennis he thought it was a scam lol i remember dennis ringing me saying my friend had driven 11hrs and was towing the boat out the drive way right now and i still talk to dennis on here a year later and we still laugh how he thought it was a scam. I have bought three boats and had them shipped from the usa to New zealand and all the same they think its a scam untill my friend turns up with cash lol

[jhersey29]

Cash is good. PayPal is looking to loose your money. Scum company with criminals following in their footsteps.
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[Tallredrider]

PayPal screws the seller in a dispute. Use it very cautiously. I've been burned by that company for an item delivered and proof of delivery provided.
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Wait...

You were told that you received your money from Paypal, then you sent the item, then Paypal took your money back? What was your proof of delivery?

Yes, it is a scam. Usually you can tell that their English ain't too good. They always want to buy the 'item' without seeing it. The first text will have some obvious copy and paste from your ad in it that no ordinary person would ever do, and then ask if the item is still for sale. That allows them to mass text everyone they are trying to scam. It must work, or else it wouldn't exist. A lot of times, they will then have problems with their paypal, and have to send you a check by Western Union.

One sweet scam will offer to send you 1K more than your asking price so that their bank only has to cut one check, but you have to send them 1K back so that they can pay for shipping to their country. By the time you realize their check is fake, you already sent them a thousand bucks of real money and they are gone.

[phataz]

Funny i to said i would take the boat without seeing it and asked if it was still for sale ....but from the pics that was on here boat looked mint as and was when i got it back in new zealand and im not to good at writing emails as well

[phataz]

i found it really hard the first time buying a boat on line and trying to pay for it as the person i was tring to buy the boat off wouldnt give me bank details so i could put the money into there account then i meet a guy on ebay pete is his name selling malibu boat parts so i asked if i could buy some of what he had he then looked at my address and said i was a fn scam and to piss off i asked him for a phone number so i could ring him but nothing then i said look just give me your paypal account and we will talk after late as soon as i had the info i put the money in and waited to see if i got a phone number boom got a email saying wow this isnt a scam at all as i have your money and the goods and from that one deal i have been using pete to pick up my boats, parts what ever i need and always look after him for what he does for me , in total with my boats and boats i have got for friends pete has picked up 9 boats and so many parts and i have never meet pete at all only talked to him on the phone and on facebook over the last nine years so in total around $300/$350k nz, but next year my wife and i am going to meet pete for the first time cant wait and the year after that we are going to pay for him to come see what new zealand is like.