If you have attempted to sell a boat (or car, etc.) on the internet, chances are you may have come across prospective buyers offering to buy your boat for more than it is worth.

The story usually goes something like this. They email you telling you they like your boat. They (or their client) want to buy the boat, and have you ship it overseas to Nigeria, or some similar country. The prospective buyer will send you a cashier's check for more than the amount. The buyer may tell you this additional amount will be used to cover the shipping cost. Another tact they use is to tell you they have a debtor in the US that owes them money. You settle with the debtor for the amount of the boat, and send them the difference.

If you are approached with this situation, Please proceed with extreme caution. These scammers will go to the trouble of sending you a check via certified mail that is a forgery. At first glance the checks appear real. But in reality are not worth the paper they are printed on. Just remember; certified checks are NOT GUARANTEED. Your bank will honor the check and give you cash against it. A counterfeit cashier's check may not be discovered until weeks after it has been cashed. When the forgery is discovered, you will be held responsible for the funds drawn on this check!

Not only will you be out the money, your boat is now overseas. It will be very difficult to prosecute someone from a foreign country.

We recommend if you are dealing with someone overseas, make sure you do thorough background checks. Get as much information about the buyer as possible. Also try to use a 3rd party escrow company for the funds, to help protect you.

And finally- IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS!

If you have been victimized by the Nigerian scam forward appropriate documentation to the United States Secret Service, Financial Crimes Division, 950 H Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20223. Dont expect much help though. The Secret Service has not jurisdiction in these countries. They cannot force the Nigerian Government or Police to act.

About the Author

Tim Gottschalk operates several boating related websites including: http://www.houseboatingworld.com and
http://www.netboater.com - featuring boats
for sale. He has been an avid boater for over 20 years.