Need objective opinions

V

VTBoater

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exMember
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Sep 6, 2008
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30718
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Hey guys,
Thought I found a really good deal on a boat. Seller really wanted to sell and called back multiple times, lowering price and paying for crane and dismantling work to truck it. He came down 30% off asking plus a couple grand for crane work.
He owns a business that takes credit cards. I fax a signed copy of purchase agreement with my credit card info on it to pay 1000 dollar deposit to his business fax on Friday.
This morning I get a call from my credit card company that my account may have been compromised. 2 charges made Saturday plus deposit charge, last was denied by my company due to suspcious activity.
I call him today and accuse him, he is very upset and goes up and down about how upset he is that I'm blaming him and this fraud happens all the time.
What gives, should I think he may have had nothing to do with, or is he another scammer?
 
Another part of the story I forgot,
After going back and forth about blame, I say how about you just send my 1000 dollars back and say I decided not to buy it. He refuses and says that would be accepting blame. I looked over the purchase agreement I signed and it says I have the right to a refund if I decide not to buy after personal inspection, so he won't refund now.
Wouldn't a respectable seller say sorry all this happened and send a check back? He is not out any money and has not shown the boat at this point.
 
I can understand his anger feigned or otherwise. Any number of things could have happened and you have confronted the man's integrity. If you are not comfortable now, either you or your trusted agent inspect and decline purchase.

Should be the end of story.
 
"A right to a refund after a personal inspection ?" Have you inspected the boat yet ? Are you satisified with the deal other than the credit card fraud that took place ? If he's not scamming you, a good boat deal is lost, if he did, well you still end up with a good deal (assuming it's a good boat & deal). Either way you'll never know if he banked some money from your card OR had nothing to do with it.
 
Other then timing do you have any reason to suspect this guy for credit card fraud?
I have had my card compromised several times over the past few years and have never been able to pin down how or why it has happen. Different cards no common purchases that we could tell and yet I think we are up to 4 or 5 times in three years. The card company has always made good and it has never cost my a penny out of pocket. The most recent time was two weeks ago the card company noticed and called we reviewed the charges and they removed any and all fraudulent purchases. We just got the bill and found they knock off one purchase that was real that was a PIA calling to have them but back a charge for a pair of shoes my wife bought, but I wasn't going to hurt a store that did nothing wrong.

I personally would not have accused the seller unless I had good reason. That said I don't know that it is legal for him to take a credit card through his business for a personal sale of his boat. If you liked the boat enough to buy it before this happened I don't know why this is a factor unless there is more to this that you are not sharing.
 
VT I wouldn't have accused him of the fraud. You should have called your CC company. They will get you your money back on the fraud charges. I have had it happen a few times in the last 2 years for no apperent reason and my CC and bank took on the charges and investigation. Perhaps they will not be able to get your deposit back on the boat. Are you sure there wasn't another reason you don't want this boat?
Please don't think I'm trying to cause you problems I'm not just trying to understand if the guy didn't misuse your CC why you would want out?
Perhaps you should call him back and tell him you were upset?
Bill
 
I think you have the cart before the horse. Unless you have strong evidence that he, himself was responsible I would be hesitant to place blame. Unfortunately, CC fraud happens all the time. Good luck.
 
James, I must admit, that would freak me out and seems highly coincidental. However, no real way to prove he or an employee of his did it.
On the deposit- this is why people would do so much better to utilize a dedicated escrow service for deposits.
On the boat- if you want it, stick to the plan and proceed, maybe even apologizing to the seller as you don't know- heck it could easily be an employee of his. However, make sure you have a title search done and that if there is a loan that it s properly released and paid off. I'd not chance it- perhaps they did create the CC fraud, perhaps not. Regardless, you need to make sure you get clear title on the boat or you will have a big problem for sure.
 
My credit card company called me this morning. When I asked if they could tell me where the denied charge took place from, they said it was from the same state as the seller. That led me to jump to the conclusion that it had to be the same guy I just sent my cc info to.
Later in the day on the third call I placed to the cc company, I learn that all the info is saying is the denied charge was to a company based in that state, not for certain the charge was tried to be placed from that state.
It is even more difficult for me as I got taken for 1600 bucks last year from a fraudulent shipping broker, so I am more paranoid about this than others may be.
 
I'm sorry to hear of the problems you have had but try to put yourself in the sellers place assuming you are innocent and someone accuses you of doing something wrong. I think you would be pretty upset and rightfully so.
 
I agree with the others here. Unless you are not telling the full story, you had no reason to accuse he seller of the fraud.

You have put yourself in a bad position and I do not know how you will recover.

George
 
Actually, I can understand the man's frustration. You called him and accused hi of a very serious crime, and without any proof to boot. If it were me, I would make you jump through every possible hoop and cross every t and dot every I in order to get your money back.

Why you may ask? Because you were a complete A-hole to him, why should you expect him to be any different to you?

One more thing to add - in the year 2010 who in the world still faxes credit card information?
 
have to agree with the others here. You accused him of theft and then you want him to step up and be a nice guy?? I don't think so.
 
Not sure if you got scammed or just accused an innocent guy of credit card fraud. But either way you have a mess. Forget about the boat or making friends. Now you've got to figure out how to get your money back. I would talk to the credit card company and contest the charge. And next time I would not send out a deposit to a seller sight unseen and without having met. Better yet, use an escrow account.

Perhaps this would be a good time to bring up a Corralary to my advice on hunting for a good deal. Once you find someone who actually accepts your lowball offer, become suspicious of why right away.
 
I absolutely would have suspected the guy; let's face it, it really looks like he or one of his employees swiped the card number. But I would not have accused him of anything, or even mentioned anything to him, until the grand was back in my possession. Makes it much tougher to back out for you now. If the contract says you have to inspect the boat, you now have to inspect the boat. If you like the boat, you should consider closing the deal, via a reputable escrow agency, broker, etc. It's going to be tough now to get your grand back, even if you go look at the boat, regardless of what the contract says. Ever try to sue someone across state lines?
 
Well, i don't think it is a total mess....if the guy wants to sell his boat and needs to sell his boat, he will overlook most any assault to his character to get rid of the boat. Just say you are sorry, it is coincidental and he can surely understand anyone could have jumped to the conclusion you did, etc. If he wants to sell you should still be able to do the deal- just be sure to find a 3rd party to handle the closing and title issues. Actually, if you know what you are doing you could do it yourself but I'd officially recommend having a designated firm do the deal.
 
Thanks for the advice guys, my mistake and I have apologized. You can let up on me now, I know I made a mistake.
 
Sounds like you accused someone of fraud without any proof whatsoever. The fact that fraudulent activity occurred on your account the same day as your deposit means nothing.
 
Tell him you were disturbed by the CC fraud and that you were led to believe that it may have been him/his company by your CC bank and apologize. Do I understand that you don't want the boat? If you do, he sounds like he'd still be thrilled to sell-just resurvey it before delivery so he didn't put cat poop in the water tank or the like...
 
quote:
Originally posted by JeffN

Tell him you were disturbed by the CC fraud and that you were led to believe that it may have been him/his company by your CC bank and apologize. Do I understand that you don't want the boat? If you do, he sounds like he'd still be thrilled to sell-just resurvey it before delivery so he didn't put cat poop in the water tank or the like...

Click to expand...


I can't imagine a seller would do something like that.

Now, a couple marbles under the master berth, on the other hand...
 
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