Recognising scams on Nettivene

Buying and selling boats online is popular via Nettivene and other platforms, but unfortunately scammers have found this market too. On this page we explain how to recognise scams in boat trading and how to protect yourself from them.

Special features of online boat trading

Buying and selling boats online has special features that make them more susceptible to certain types of scams. A boat is a big purchase, so the risks and potential losses are also large.

  • High price - Boats are valuable, so any scams can also lead to large financial losses.
  • Technical details - The complexity of boat technology makes it possible to hide faults or exaggerate features.
  • Seasonality - Boat trading concentrates in certain seasons, which at times creates urgency and pressure on purchase decisions.
  • International trade - Boats are often sold across borders, which makes it harder to investigate scams and recover money.
  • Registration and taxation - The bureaucracy around registering and taxing boats can confuse buyers and leave room for scams.
  • Winter storage - Boats may be in winter storage, in which case checking them can be difficult or impossible before the purchase decision.
Vinkki: Venekaupassa maltti on valttia. Kiireessä tehdyt päätökset johtavat usein virheisiin. Varaa riittävästi aikaa tutustua myyjään, veneeseen ja sen historiaan.

The most common scams in boat trading

  • A boat that is too cheap - A boat clearly cheaper than the market price is often a sign of a scam. Scammers lure buyers with unusually low prices.
  • A non-existent boat - The seller advertises a boat that does not exist or that they do not own and tries to get an advance payment.
  • Forged documents - The seller presents forged ownership certificates, service history or inspection documents.
  • Hidden problems - Structural problems with the boat, engine faults or leaks are hidden or downplayed.
  • Stolen boats - Selling a stolen boat can be done using forged documents.
  • Overvaluing the boat - The seller gives an exaggerated picture of the boat’s condition, age or features to justify the high price.
  • Foreign scam - The seller claims to be abroad and asks for an advance or transport payment without any intention of delivering the boat.
  • Identity theft - The scammer poses as a well-known boat dealer or the boat’s rightful owner.
  • Falsifying the service history - The boat’s service history is altered or forged to make the boat seem better maintained.
Varoitus: Älä koskaan maksa venettä näkemättä sitä tai ennen kuin olet varmistanut sen kunnon ja omistajuuden. Erityistä varovaisuutta kannattaa noudattaa, jos myyjä pyytää rahaa etukäteen esimerkiksi varausmaksuna tai kuljetuskustannuksiin.

How to recognise a trustworthy boat seller?

In boat trading, assessing the seller’s trustworthiness is very important. With these tips you can assess a seller’s trustworthiness:

1
Tarkista myyjän taustatiedot

If the seller is a company, check its business ID and how long it has operated in the field. For a private seller, ask for personal details and check them when you meet. Google the seller’s name and phone number to see whether any warnings come up.

2
Arvioi viestintä ja ammattimaisuus

Trustworthy sellers answer questions quickly and knowledgeably. They can tell you about the boat in detail and are honest about its shortcomings too. Poor language use or vague answers are warning signs.

3
Tarkista ilmoituksen laatu ja kuvat

High-quality, varied photos from different sides of the boat and its machinery are a good sign. The photos should be current and of the same boat. Use a reverse image search to check that the photos have not been copied from elsewhere.

4
Vertaa pyyntihintaa markkinahintoihin

Check the prices of similar boats in other listings. A boat offered clearly below the market price is often a warning sign. Scammers use the low price as bait.

Pro-vinkki: Kysy myyjältä veneen valmistenumeroa (CIN/HIN) tai rekisteritunnusta etukäteen ja tarkista niiden avulla veneen tausta Traficomin Venerekisteristä. Pyydä myös saada nähdä veneen huoltokirja ja kaikki dokumentit ennen kaupantekoa.

Checking the boat’s condition and documents

A physical inspection of the boat and a careful review of the documents are key to avoiding scams:

  • Check the boat’s hull identification number (CIN/HIN) - Make sure the identification number on the hull matches the number in the documents. Altering or covering the number is a warning sign.
  • Ask for the boat’s register extract - All boats longer than 5.5 metres or with an engine of over 15 kW must be registered. Check that the register extract is genuine and up to date.
  • Examine the ownership certificates - Make sure the seller really owns the boat. Ask to see the original purchase receipts or bills of sale.
  • Ask about the service history - A trustworthy seller has a documented service history. Check the service booklet and the receipts for services performed.
  • Have a condition inspection done - Consider having the boat’s condition checked by an impartial expert, especially if it is a valuable boat.
  • Check for any liens - Make sure the boat is not subject to unpaid loans or financing. You can check this by requesting an ownership history extract.
Muista: Älä koskaan allekirjoita kauppasopimusta tai maksa venettä ennen kuin olet tehnyt perusteellisen tarkastuksen ja varmistanut kaikki asiakirjat. Rahoitusyhtiöiden rahoittamilla veneillä voi olla rahoitusvaraus, jolloin veneen todellinen omistaja on rahoitusyhtiö, kunnes laina on maksettu kokonaan.

The risks of international boat trading

International boat trading involves particular risks worth being aware of:

1
Maantieteellinen etäisyys

When buying from abroad, it is often difficult to inspect the boat yourself. The seller may ask for an advance payment before the boat can be seen, which increases the scam risk. Consider hiring a local expert for the inspection.

2
Erilaiset lainsäädännöt ja rekisteröintivaatimukset

Find out in advance how a foreign boat is registered in Finland and what documents you need. Make sure the boat meets Finnish safety and emission requirements.

3
Maksutapojen riskit

International bank transfers are often irreversible. Do not use unreliable payment methods such as Western Union or MoneyGram. Consider a reliable escrow service that releases the payment only once the goods have been delivered.

4
Tullaus ja verotus

Find out in advance what customs duties and taxes are involved in importing the boat. Scammers may fail to mention these costs, whereby the final price becomes higher than expected.

Ulkomainen vinkki: Jos ostat veneen EU:n ulkopuolelta, varmista, että saat CE-merkintätodistuksen tai selvitä etukäteen, miten vene saadaan CE-hyväksytyksi. Ilman CE-merkintää venettä ei voi rekisteröidä Suomessa.

Payment methods and safety of the deal

Choosing the right payment method is an essential part of safe boat trading:

  • Cash deal - Cash is a common payment method in boat deals, but handling large sums carries its own risks. Do the deal at a bank if possible.
  • Bank transfer - A bank transfer is safe when it is made only at the time the bill of sale is signed and the boat is handed over.
  • Escrow account - Consider using an escrow account where a third party manages the payment and releases it only once the terms of the deal have been met.
  • Avoid advance payments - Do not pay in advance even partially, except for a small booking fee in limited cases with a trustworthy seller.
  • Avoid suspicious payment methods - Be careful if the seller asks for payment by methods such as Western Union, MoneyGram, gift cards or cryptocurrencies.
Koskaan ei pidä: Maksaa venettä etukäteen näkemättä sitä, allekirjoittaa keskeneräisiä tai tyhjiä lomakkeita, tai maksaa suuria summia käteisellä ilman todistajia ja asianmukaista dokumentaatiota.

Payment requests sent in Nettivene’s name and transport service scam

Nettivene has itself warned about scams carried out in its name. Remember that Nettivene never charges a booking or advance fee for a boat and does not offer any transport or delivery service for the boat. Nettivene also never asks for your online banking credentials or personal details by phone or message. If you receive a payment request, a transport offer or a prompt to log in via a link in Nettivene’s name, it is a scam. Do not click the link in the message; instead log in to the service yourself and check whether the same information appears on your own account. Always agree on payment and collection of the boat directly with the other party.

Fake payment screen and the midnight tactic

In boat trading there is a scam in which the buyer gives the impression that the purchase price has already been paid, even though no money is coming. A common excuse is timing: Nettivene warns that timing the payment to around midnight is a scam tactic, in which the change of day is used as a reason why the payment does not yet show up in the account. Do not be fooled by urgency or the time of day. Do not hand over the boat or its papers before you have confirmed, via your own online bank, that the money is really in your account. A screenshot or payment confirmation shown by the buyer alone is not enough.

Bill of sale and insurance

A carefully drawn-up bill of sale and appropriate insurance are important protections against scams too:

1
Käytä luotettavaa kauppakirjapohjaa

Use official bill-of-sale templates, such as the model offered by Finnboat. Avoid handwritten or incomplete bills of sale.

2
Tarkista, että kauppakirja sisältää kaikki olennaiset tiedot

The bill of sale should contain complete details of the boat and engine, identification numbers, the parties’ details, the purchase price, payment terms, a description of the boat’s condition, any guarantees and the transfer of registration.

3
Sovi omistuksen ja vastuiden siirtymisestä

Specify exactly when ownership of and responsibility for the boat passes from the seller to the buyer. This is important especially with regard to insurance and any damage.

4
Huolehdi vakuutuksista ajoissa

Make sure your boat is insured as soon as ownership passes. Do not go out on the water without insurance. Ask the insurance company for confirmation of the coverage and terms in advance.

Kauppakirjavinkki: Lisää kauppakirjaan ehto, jonka mukaan kauppa voidaan purkaa ja rahat palauttaa, jos veneessä ilmenee merkittäviä, piilossa olleita vikoja, joista myyjä ei ole kertonut. Tämä antaa ostajalle mahdollisuuden teettää vielä tarkempi tarkastus ennen takuuajan päättymistä.

What to do if you suspect a scam in boat trading?

If you suspect you have been targeted by a scam in boat trading, act quickly according to these instructions:

1
Dokumentoi kaikki

Collect and keep all documents, messages, images, payment receipts and bills of sale relating to the deal. Take screenshots of the online listings before they are possibly removed.

2
Ota yhteyttä myyjään

In some cases it may be a misunderstanding or a genuine mistake. First try to resolve the matter directly with the seller in writing, so that everything is documented.

3
Ilmoita sivustolle

If the deal was made on an online platform such as Nettivene, report the scam to the service’s administrator. They can remove suspicious listings and possibly help trace the scammer. Nettivene’s scam instructions can be found at nettivene.com, and you can verify that a suspicious contact is genuine with Nettivene’s customer service at asiakaspalvelu@almaajo.fi.

4
Tee rikosilmoitus

If it is a clear fraud, file a police report as soon as possible. Give the police all the evidence you have collected. A police report can be filed online on the police website or at the nearest police station.

5
Ota yhteyttä pankkiin

If you have already paid, contact your bank immediately and request that the payment be reversed or charged back (chargeback). The faster you act, the better your chances of getting the money back.

Muista: Toimi nopeasti! Huijauksen uhriksi joutuminen voi tuntua häpeälliseltä, mutta viranomaiset ovat kiinnostuneita näistä tapauksista, koska sama huijari todennäköisesti yrittää huijata muitakin. Ilmoittamalla huijauksesta voit auttaa muita välttymään saman huijarin uhriksi joutumiselta.

Summary: checklist for safe boat trading

  • Check the seller’s background - Find out the seller’s identity and reputation before the deal proceeds.
  • Compare the price with the market level - Be especially careful if the price is unusually low.
  • Ask to see the boat in person - Never buy a boat without seeing it or without the possibility of a test run.
  • Check the documents carefully - Confirm the boat’s ownership, identification number and register details.
  • Consider a professional inspection - Especially for more valuable boats, it is worth having a condition assessment done.
  • Use safe payment methods - Avoid cash advances and prefer safe payment methods.
  • Draw up a comprehensive bill of sale - Write down all the terms and details of the deal.
  • Take care of the registration immediately - Make a registration notification to Traficom without delay after the deal.
  • Insure the boat before use - Ensure insurance coverage as soon as ownership passes.
Lopuksi: Venekauppa on parhaimmillaan nautinnollinen kokemus, joka johtaa moniin iloisiin hetkiin vesillä. Huolellinen valmistautuminen ja terveen epäluulon säilyttäminen auttavat välttämään huijauksia ja tekemään onnistuneita kauppoja. Muista, että jos tarjous kuulostaa liian hyvältä ollakseen totta, se todennäköisesti ei ole totta.