The scammers using eBay to sell £50,000 beach huts they don’t own

Beach huts on the Kent coastline are highly sought after and can go for tens of thousands of pounds (Picture: CCC/Cover Media)

People desperate to own a beach hut on the Kent coast are being targeted by scammers posting bogus listings.

Fraudsters have been advertising huts in Tankerton, near Whitstable, on sites such as eBay for thousands of pounds below market value – despite not owning them.

In some cases people have broken into the huts to make listings appear more genuine and invited potential buyers to take a virtual tour, adding it is impossible to view in person.

Canterbury City Council (CCC) says it is aware of multiple incidents and has urged both buyers and owners to remain vigilant.

The authority’s cabinet member for economic development and inclusion and coastal towns, Cllr Chris Cornell, said: ‘The golden rule is, if something sounds too good to be true, it generally is.

‘As soon as we learned of people selling beach huts in Tankerton they do not own, we informed the beach hut owners and advised them to contact Kent Police and Report Fraud.

‘We also notified the beach hut associations, so they could spread the word to their members.

‘We would always advise beach hut owners to be vigilant for the potential for fraudulent activity such as this and to report any concerns they have to the police as swiftly as possible.’

Have you fallen victim to a beach hut scam? Email [email protected]

Beach huts in Tankerton are highly sought after, with some currently listed legitimately on Rightmove for upwards of £50,000.

‘Our foreshore team is happy to provide advice on whether a hut sale is genuine if people contact us,’ Cllr Cornell said.

‘While hut owners are permitted to sell privately and via whatever method they choose, our advice to prospective buyers is to only purchase huts through agents or the beach hut associations.

‘Sadly, the main victim in scams of this type will always be the unsuspecting purchaser.’

The warning has also been echoed by beach hut groups, with concerns buyers are already being caught out.

Sue Halfpenny, from the Herne Bay Beach Hut Association, said: ‘Canterbury City Council have made us aware of at least two incidents of fraud relating to beach huts sales.

‘At the moment it appears that locally this is related to huts in Tankerton but we need to be watchful.’

The council says anyone concerned about a potential scam should report it to police or via the national fraud reporting service.

Prospective buyers are also being urged to verify any sale before handing over money, with officials warning deals that appear significantly cheaper than usual should raise alarm bells.

An eBay spokesperson said: ‘Ensuring eBay is a safe and secure marketplace for our buyers and sellers is a top priority.

‘eBay maintains a zero-tolerance policy against fraud and in the rare instance that one of our users is a victim of a scam, we advise them to report it immediately to their local police force, Action Fraud and eBay.

‘We have dedicated teams that work closely with law enforcement, and they can investigate reported sellers and provide evidence to police as requested.’

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