Acquiring a maritime container and determining where to make the purchase is a crucial decision that requires careful thought and prompt action. Rushing into it could put your entire investment at risk, especially if you become a victim of fraud.
In recent years, instances of fraud and scams related to container purchases have not only increased but have also become more diverse. Various countries have online platforms dedicated to reporting such crimes and the individuals or companies behind them.
One such platform is Ship Container Scams, based in the UK, which exposes companies supposedly selling maritime containers. For example, a UK-based company called Alpha Containers was active in advertising container sales. They offered an exceptionally competitive price for the local market, attracting numerous buyers who promptly contacted them via the provided contact number, only to receive no response.
This marked the beginning of the fraud. Days later, prospective customers would receive calls from an executive at Alpha Containers, offering the exact product they wanted at an astonishingly lower price than any competitor. After agreeing to the deal, they would be given an account number for payment and promised a delivery date. Unfortunately, that promised day never arrived.
In Mexico, several websites — https://containerdelnorte.com/, https://ecexco.com/, www.containermexico.com, and https://www.mexicana-conteneres.com/conteneres — were identified as fraudulent copies of another company. Through these portals, cybercriminals committed frauds similar to those of Alpha Containers.
While concrete figures revealing the scale of this fraud are scarce, a specialized logistics portal named BizCommunity in South Africa reports that companies in the country lose approximately $20,000 USD per day due to fraudulent maritime container purchases, totaling over $7.5 million USD annually. Moreover, it has been disclosed that such scams are on the rise in Australia, Great Britain, and Canada.
According to experts from BizCommunity and the global Container Association, several indicators suggest potential fraud when purchasing a maritime container:
To avoid falling victim to such scams, the Container Fraud Prevention page recommends the following precautions when purchasing a container:
Regrettably, container fraud manifests in various forms, with fraudsters continuously devising new methods to deceive customers. Awareness of these tactics is crucial in detecting potential scams:
Before purchasing a maritime container for safe merchandise transportation, ensure it complies with Mexican and international regulations to prevent any legal issues. Seek out certified and reputable providers. For further guidance or information, consider reaching out to a Dracontainers advisor.
