Buying guide
Red flags in online boat listings
Most sellers are honest. These are the patterns that should make you slow down before you send money for a boat you found online. They are this site's buying advice, drawn from how the paperwork works.
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The seller will not let you see the boat
"It is already with the shipping company", "I am overseas", "my agent will deliver it". If you cannot see the boat, its HIN and its paperwork in person, or send someone you trust, do not pay.
Payment by wire, gift card, crypto or a payment app before you see it
These are hard or impossible to reverse. Pay only when you hold the signed title or registration and a bill of sale, by a method that leaves a record.
An escrow or shipping company you have never heard of
Find the company yourself, not through a link the seller sends. A fake escrow site is a common way to collect payment for a boat that does not exist.
The price is far below similar boats
Compare with several listings of the same make, length and year. A big gap is a question to ask, not a bargain to grab.
The HIN is missing, unreadable or does not match the paperwork
Run it through the HIN Check, then compare it with the title or registration character for character. Ask where the hidden second HIN is.
The name on the title is not the seller's
"I am selling it for my uncle" may be true. Ask for it in writing, and check that the title shows no lien or that the lender's release is attached.
No water test, no survey
An honest seller of a sound boat expects both. A seller who refuses either has given you an answer.
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This page is general advice, not legal or financial advice. If you think you have met a scam, report it to your local police and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.