BOAT BUYERS PLEASE READ THIS!

BE CAREFUL WHEN PURCHASING A BOAT ON EBAY. THERE ARE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SCAMS AND FRAUDULENT ADS ON EBAY. I RECENTLY THOUGHT I HAD CONSUMATED A PURCHASE OF A 2006 MALIBU WAKEBOARD BOAT.

WOW! WAS I EVER WRONG.

THE SELLER AND I HAD COMMUNICATED MANY TIMES VIA EMAIL. HE ASSURED ME THAT THE TRANSACTION WOULD GO THRU EBAY IN ORDER TO PROTECT MYSELF. HE WROTE A VERY SLICK EMAIL THAT EXPLAINED THAT THE BOAT WAS IN TENNESSEE. HE STATED THAT THE BOAT WAS BEING SOLD WITH A CLEAR TITLE. HE WAS EVEN SO GRACIOUS THAT HE WOULD GIVE ME 15 DAYS TO PAY IF I WENT THRU EBAYS SAFE HARBOUR.  I WAS NOT FAMILIAR WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSACTION. I ASKED HIM TO EXPLAIN, HE SAID TO JUST WAIT ON EBAY TO CONTACT ME. WITHIN HOURS I RECIEVED A VERY OFFICIAL LOOKING EMAIL FROM EBAYS SAFE HARBOUR PROGRAM THAT OULINED THE TRANSACTION DETAILS. IT EVEN HAD A PARAGRAPH ABOUT THE $20,000 PURCHASE PROTECTION.

ALL OF THE EMAILS FROM THE SELLER AND EBAY SEEMED AUTHENTIC.  I DECIDED TO READ THRU THE AGREEMENT WITH SAFE HARBOUR AGAIN AND NOTICED THAT THE MONEY WAS BEING SENT TO GREECE. RED FLAGS WENT UP! I CONTACED EBAY TO AUTHENTICATE THE LISTING. THEY COULD NOT VERIFY THE LISTING. THE LISTING DISAPEARED WITHIN AN HOUR.

MY ENTHUSIASM TO PURCHASE AND THE SELLERS VERY CONVINCING FRAUDULENT EMAILS AND EBAY WEB PAGES ALMOST COST ME $35,000. DO NOT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU! BE VER CAREFUL.