We are trying to deliver the best service to our clients. It is nonetheless a sad fact of life that scams and fraud are a common occurrence these days. Scams rely on victims being duped into giving away their money and maybe their personal details. The best way to avoid getting scammed therefore is to recognise and report it in the first place.
Warning signs of scam
For buyers
- The classified ad promotes products, services or rental properties advertised at very low prices, often lower than comparable items advertised on the same and other websites.
- The seller claims to be unavailable (e.g. they are travelling or have moved overseas) and insists on payment prior to arranging for delivery of the goods.
- The seller requests that you pay through international money transfers, cheques or direct bank transfers.
- You receive a fake email receipt claiming to be from the website’s secure payment provider.
- When dealing with rental property, the ‘landlord’ won’t allow you to view the property and will ask for bond, rent payments or deposits in advance.
For sellers
- The potential buyer is willing to purchase your item without having viewed it in person – even if you are selling an expensive item such as a car.
- A potential overseas buyer is interested in purchasing your item despite it being a commonly available item in their home country (e.g. a car or a couch). Often the shipping costs would far outweigh the cost of the item itself.
- The buyer sends you a cheque for more than the agreed price, and then asks you to refund the overpaid amount.
The best practice tips to avoid getting scammed.
- Don’t give your personal details out over email. Be wary of emails asking you to confirm or supply website login or credit card details.
- Always try to confirm the identity of a seller. Scammers will typically hide behind generic email accounts and conduct ‘negotiations’ anonymously via email. They will often use an answer phone message to get an enquiries email account and then continue ‘discussions’ via email, so always try to establish telephone contact with the seller first and confirm their identity.
- Be wary of items advertised at unusually low prices. If an offer seems too good to be true, it often is. A common scam involves potential buyers being sent an email containing detailed information on a vehicle supposedly located abroad. Once contact is established, the scammer pressures the buyer into making a smaller payment to view the vehicle.
- RunBoats does not offer a facility to verify transactions or pass on information between buyers and sellers. RunBoats will not act as an intermediary or arrange or confirm shipping arrangements. We never direct users from an email straight to a payment or ‘shopping cart’ page.
- You should always be suspicious of offers that seem too good to be true. Do not put money into foreign bank accounts. Another common scam involves bogus overseas sellers contacting you directly or pretending to be from a reputable organisation.
- Hoax, counterfeit, bogus and stolen items can occasionally slip through and appear to be real listings. It is important to read the advertisement description carefully and ask questions. It is common for fraudsters to ask for contact via another email address and then ask for payment for goods by non-traceable means. If a seller does not offer a warranty or receipt, find out why.
- Always report fraud and doubtful items or suspicious traders to: info@runboats.com.au or call us or report about scam at https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam
Recommended payment methods
Some payment options offer more protection than others, so be sure to select a payment method that you’re comfortable with. Walk away from the deal if you’re not happy with the payment arrangement.
Good payment options include:
- Pay on pick-up – good for higher value goods and for local buying. You’ll be able to inspect the goods to ensure they are as advertised.
- Cash – used for thousands of years and still going. We suggest you get a receipt.
- Cheque – recommended if agreeable to the seller. You give or send the seller a personal or bank cheque to pay for the item. Most banks will allow you to cancel a cheque before it is cashed if a problem arises.
- Internet bank payment – deposit the payment directly into the seller’s bank account through internet banking. You’ve got the seller’s bank account number, which is of course traceable. Do not put any monies into foreign bank accounts.
- Credit card – you can benefit from your credit card’s protection clauses. However, we suggest you find out the details of the protection from your credit card issuer before you commit.
Only deal with sellers that you consider trustworthy.
Only buy something if you’re confident it’s genuine.
Never part with any money – even a small deposit – until you feel the previous two points have been met.