Trading safely on the Internet

Trading safely on the internet when buying or selling a boat. Almost all buyers and sellers on YachtFocus.com and related boat sites are reliable and have good intentions, as befits water sports. Unfortunately, there may be people who abuse someone else’s trust. YachtFocus does a lot to prevent apparent scammers, but they can slip through our checks.

Tips for sellers:

  • Use search engines to check for personal and company names, e-mail addresses, fixed addresses, telephone numbers and account numbers of those interested in your boat.
  • If an offer on your boat seems too good to be true, it often is. Hardly anyone in good faith agrees to the asking price without questions or viewing.
  • Be extra careful with interested parties from outside Europe, from a country without a typical water sports tradition.
  • Do not accept anonymous payment methods such as Western Union, Moneygram etc. If someone transfers too much money and asks for the remainder to be refunded, do not do so. His or her previous payment can then be withdrawn.
  • Do not e-mail copies of identity cards, passports, signatures or bank statements to strangers.
  • Suspicion? Let a yacht broker guide you or call YachtFocus. We can often check whether the same ‘buyer’ frequently offers on totally different types of boats.
  • More tips for selling your boat? Take a look at the page Tips to sell your boat.

Tips for buyers:

  • Companies that advertise with us are personally known, although awareness is always a good thing, because an intermediary company may have been misled by its client. On YachtFocus.com you can see how long they have been advertising and ratings.
  • Private advertisers are not personally known by YachtFocus, but since they also pay giro for their advertisements, some trust is appropriate.’False’ sellers prefer to choose a free boat website.
  • Seems an offered boat is heavily low-priced, be suspicious. It could also be a typo in the price.
  • If you see someone else’s logo in the photos or if you see them on other boats elsewhere on the internet, then suspicion is fitting.
  • Never buy and pay for a boat without an inspection, getting to know the seller, checking the proof of ownership, any attachments and mortgages, technical inspection of the purchase and possible valuation of the value by an expert.
  • Pay the boat by giro and not in cash. You can call in a purchase agent for assistance.