Buying And Selling A Boat Are Fertile Grounds For Scammers

By: Michael J. Deem, Esq. of R.C. Shea & Associates

If you are considering buying or selling a boat, then you should be aware that the market is full of bogus buyers and sellers. When it comes to buying or selling a boat, if anything seems unusual then proceed with caution. While fraudulent transactions apply to both purchase and sales, this article will focus on the seller’s side of the transaction.

If selling your boat is not difficult enough, these days the last thing you need is to encounter someone, somewhere, trying to trick you at least once, if not two or more times as you try to complete the boat-selling process. Because fraud comes in all shapes and sizes, it is not possible for us to focus on one type of transaction, so we will concentrate on the most common red flags.

Obvious poor punctuation and grammar. These scammers crank out a thousands of their “inquiries” every day and many of them have a poor grasp of the English language. Also, pay attention to their use of multiple phone numbers (and/or multiple email addresses) from the same individual.

Everything the alleged buyer asked about was thoroughly detailed in your listing. Some of these scammers operate through robo or computerized forms of communication like e-mail or texting. So, if the potential purchaser is asking you for information that is already in your listing, then this should raise a red flag and you should proceed with extreme caution.

Enlisting a third party to pick up the boat without the buyer ever having inspected it. Boats are not cheap. No credible buyer will purchase a boat sight unseen. A credible purchaser will at least obtain a boat survey, which is similar to a home inspection. In addition, most honest buyers will be present when the boat is picked-up, rather than sending an agent to do take possession of your boat.

The offer to pay by cashier’s check and pick up the boat after it had been cashed. This seems like a reasonable show of good faith, but scammers have become very good at printing fake checks so realistic that banks initially accept them. It isn’t until days or even weeks later that the scam becomes apparent, and then the bank can pull those funds right back out of your account. Check with your bank to confi rm its policy regarding fi nal acceptance of funds.

Paypal or Venmo variation of payment. The phony buyer will ask for your PayPal ID in order to send you a payment, possibly for substantially more than the purchase price. Shortly after that, you will receive a fake confi rmation from PayPal with your user ID for more than the agreed purchase price, and the buyer will contact you asking you to forward the extra money to a shipper. Again, you’ll lose whatever money you’ve sent.

An unwillingness to provide basic proof of identity such as a photo of their driver’s license. If they are who they say they are then there should be no issue with providing proof of their identity. Automobile dealerships will obtain proof of your identify when you try to purchase one of their vehicles. Strangers routinely share this basic information when they are involved in motor vehicle collisions, so it should not be sacred during the purchase of a boat or a car.

R.C. Shea & Associates is a full-service Law Firm. We are located at 244 Main Street, Toms River. Visit our website at www.rcshea.com.

Cape May Bus Trip

TOMS RIVER – The Holiday City South Garden Club is hosting a Cape May Bus Trip on May 2 from 9:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Come enjoy a tour of the beautiful Victorian Southern Mansion and visit the Museum of Fine Arts and Pop Culture, shop and lunch on your own at Washington Mall. Cost is $73 per person for admissions and transportation. Tickets on sale until April 17.

Leave a message to make reservations or inquiries at 732-341-4518 with Carroll or via email: cbaszkowski@aol.com, or visit the HCS Clubhouse on 139 Santiago Drive, Toms River on Fridays 9:30 to 11 a.m. to purchase tickets.

Families

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Continued From Page 18 use their money to keep them housed rather than becoming homeless.”

Additional support can come in the form of food, clothing, or toiletry needs. Family Promise also dedicates much of its efforts to making life as “normal” as possible for children. This includes making sure families have access to ample school supplies, as well as Easter baskets and Christmas gifts. Meanwhile, the monetary assistance isn’t intended to act as a Band-Aid solution. The premise is that fi nancial aid and other associated services will help people move forward and take the edge off what might otherwise feel like an abysmal situation.

“We are not a handout, but a hand up,” stressed Golla. “We can try to help a little bit, but they (program participants) have to be able to show future affordability.”

Circumstances dictate how those signed up for Family Promise’s Prevention Program participate in requisite meetings. Options include Zoom, the library, or by telephone and feature lessons on fi nancial budgeting, problem-solving, and conflict resolution.

A Place For Families Without Homes

Family Promise arranges shelter for families courtesy of various churches within the community. A classroom or other type of room may be cleared to accommodate parents, grandparents, and children – or whomever else is considered part of the family unit.

“We have a trailer with beds, and they get pulled in,” Golla explained. “Volunteers will decorate the room and make it look like a regular bedroom and house. For example, if intake notes indicate a child loves ‘Frozen,’ we use Elsa and Anna bedsheets.”

Everything from food to clothing to toiletry items is supplied to families who move into the housing provided by Family Promise. The expectation is that clients will limit their spending to personal cell phone bills and car insurance payments.

“Right now, our host sites are from Waretown to Little Egg Harbor,” said Golla. “To become part of the program, someone either has to have reliable transportation of their own or have a friend that will drive them.

I’ve had someone tell me they needed to ride their bike every day, and I was fine with that as long as they could get around for the whole time they were in the program.”

Participants in the temporary housing part of the program generally begin with 30 days of assurances they will have a roof over their heads. During that time, case managers help set and achieve goals for the immediate future. Those who use drugs or alcohol are not accepted as part of the Family Promise model. Failure to comply with the contracted rules can result in removal from the program.

Future affordability for housing acts as an essential concept as those provided services need some kind of income to get out on their own. This could include a job, Social Security benefits or a pension.

“The market has been extremely challenging when it comes to fi nding housing,” Golla acknowledged. “The average family is in with us for three to six months until they fi nally get into some kind of housing.”

Family Promise has the ability to accept four or five families at the same time. Those seeking transitional shelter from the non-profit must show evidence that they want to get out of their situation. At least one family member must be a child under the age of 18 in order to qualify for the program. Buses transport students to their previous school districts for a feeling of continuity.

A Family In Transition: Shakira, Xavier and their children

Shakira, Xavier and their children became homeless after a gas leak and rodent infestation deemed their apartment uninhabitable.

Family members initially took in the couple and their two sons and two daughters, aged 11, 7, 6 and 3. Shakira felt helpless as she continued to look for alternative housing options and learned of Family Promise from Ocean County Social Services.

“They were the only ones who called me back,” said Shakira. “The kids were still in their old school, and it was far to go back and forth from West Creek. The case manager told me the only way it would work is if we moved the kids to schools down here. I basically didn’t have any other choice.”

Shakira and her family were accepted into the Family Promise program at the end of January. Sundays are moving days as the six stay together to move on from church to church for overnight accommodations.

Some of the churches cook them meals at a set dinner hour. Other times, the family heads to the Day Center where they can sit at the table in a regular kitchen that feels like home.

Meanwhile, the quest for new living quarters hasn’t been an easy one. The family is on waiting lists for some complexes and having a difficult time fi nding affordable housing. Market rate rentals start at $2,300$2,400 and even the less than optimal homes are scooped up quickly.

“Family Promise has really been here to open some doors for us,” Shakira said. “Because of them, my family and I have shelter. We have somewhere warm to stay, somewhere we can take a shower, and although it may not be ours, it feels like it is. I am so grateful for that.”

Ocean County’s Homeless

Numbers regarding the extent of homelessness may be grossly underestimated. A statewide snapshot of 2022 counts appeared in a report prepared for the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency. The numbers at that time estimated a total of 6,663 homeless households, many with children under age 18. Ocean County’s homeless population comprised approximately 5 percent of the state’s total count at the beginning of last year.

Homelessness is a plight that can afflict families due to an array of unpredictable and often unfortunate circumstances. For instance, the very foundation of people’s lives can be uprooted if a landlord decides to sell or loses ownership through foreclosure. Similarly, an unexpected illness or injury may force a family member out of work, and without any savings cushioning them (Families - See Page 25)

Families: Continued From Page 24 from unforeseen expenses such as medical bills; the situation can rapidly spiral out of control.

Ocean County does not have a shelter established or run by government authorities. Code Blue shelters are available when temperatures drop. It’s left to other agencies try to help fill the void.

“One of the issues is that nobody seems to want to collaborate and work together,” shared Golla. “If we all worked together, I feel like we could better address this problem. It’s like no one wants to talk to each other because they’re competing for funding.”

“I love helping people and that we can genuinely make a difference,” Golla continued.

“We desperately need to help more people and need funding to make it happen.”

Family Promise relies on grants, donations, and fundraisers in order to provide services. In addition to a small staff, many of the people who assist are volunteers.

Faith-based communities that are involved in providing temporary shelter through Family Promise include Lighthouse Alliance Community Church, St. Theresa Roman Catholic Church, St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Bayside Chapel. Ocean Community Church, Zion Lutheran Church, Lord of Lords, Manahawkin Baptist Church, Harvey Cedars Bible Conference and First United Methodist Church of Beach Haven Terrace. Each of the churches provides 2-4 weeks of temporary shelter throughout the year.