Over the years Kijiji has been notorious for scams and, unfortunately, the shipping container industry has been a recent target for scammers to rip people off. One company in Nova Scotia has reported getting between 5-10 calls per day during high season from people who have either been defrauded by scammers using their business name or from people who were suspicious about the legitimacy of the Kijiji ad and are following up.
Scammers use legitimate shipping container business names and place ads online. When contacted by someone interested in purchasing a container these scammers ask for an e-transfer, collect payment via seemingly professional websites they set up or by phone. Once payment is received the scammer stops responding and the container is never delivered. This impacts both the customer, whose money is lost, and the container business whose name was used and whose reputation is now tarnished.
As one of the largest shipping container suppliers in Canada we wanted to put together a guide for customers on how to purchase a container from Coast Containers while avoiding scams on the internet.
Get your unique offer from Coast Containers right nowGet in touch
4. Ask the person you are in contact with if you can see the container in person before making payment. At our Coast Containers locations in Calgary, Edmonton, and Prince George we’re happy to bring customers on site to see the container before purchase. At other locations we can also make sure that you don’t just pay for something you’ll never see. We are always ready to share information on where our containers are stored and ensure you have no doubts on the legitimacy of the deal.
5. When you call is the customer service representative overly pushy? That wouldn’t be us. We take pride in our customer service. Our sales representatives will make sure that you get exactly what you need without trying to quickly sell you whatever they have at hand.
6. You can also ask other companies in the industry and/or container depots about the legitimacy of Coast Containers. We have been selling containers in Canada for many years now, and our name is well-known in the industry. We take our reputation seriously and are diligent in preventing scammers from using our name (as much as we can).
7. Check website, Google and social media reviews. Companies with no reviews might be questionable.
8. At Coast Containers we guarantee that our used containers are wind and water tight, but we do not offer warranties on them. No reputable company is able to offer a warranty on used containers. If you are being offered a warranty for a used container there is a good chance the seller is fraudulent.
9. If something tells you a deal doesn’t seem right, listen to that voice in the back of your head and spend more time looking into the company.
For more information on these scams we suggest that you read this article by CBC news https://www.cbc.ca/
At Coast Containers we sell new and used shipping containers at great prices. Whether you need a shipping container for storage, moving, or as an office, we can find the right container for you. Not sure what size you need? We offer a range of sizes including 10ft, 20ft, and 40ft containers for sale.
Avoid scammers by visiting our website today or calling us directly. If somebody claims to be Coast Containers representative, but you have any doubts about it, please let us know by calling our official phone number, listed below. We would be happy to eliminate any concerns and offer you the right price for a real container.
1-866-761-2444
201-26 Fourth Street
New Westminster,
BC V3L M4
