"It's always the same scam," says Chief Inspector Andreas Dümmel from the nationwide Competence Centre for Boat Crime of the Constance Water Police. "Interested parties come across a good offer on the used boat market, usually well below market value, and contact the supposed seller." He then suggests that the boat should first be inspected by means of detailed photo documentation, as it is a long way away, given the current wave of fraud in Finland.
"We've also had other countries with the same scam in previous waves of fraud. It always depends on what kind of identity papers the perpetrator has," explains Dümmel. Because they are forged. And this is how the case always continues. After the prospective buyer has seen the photos and accepted the offer, he is convinced that he is dealing with a real seller with the copies of the identity documents sent to him.
He then suggests sending the ship to the buyer via a reputable transport company as soon as the money has arrived. The fact that the yacht transporter's seemingly reputable website gives the impression that it is based in the same country as the yacht, but its ending clearly indicates a completely different country of origin, usually goes unnoticed by the prospective owners. In the end, the purchase price paid is lost without the buyer ever seeing the vessel on offer.
The specialists at the Competence Centre for Boat Crime at the Constance Water Police answer questions about conspicuously cheap offers for sale
under telephone number (07531) 5902-300,
by fax to (07531) 5902-309
or by e-mail to kbk@polizei.bwl.de.
