Shipping Container Scams: How to Buy Used Containers Safely

Container scams are common enough that many buyers are wary of buying online at all. The good news is that scam sellers follow a pattern, and a few simple checks will spot almost all of them.

Here's how the scams work, the warning signs to watch for, and how to buy used shipping containers with confidence. When you've done your checks, you can buy used shipping containers from us in 20ft, 40ft and 45ft, with photos and grades in writing.

How a container scam usually works

1. A professional-looking website or listing appears, often using photos copied from real sellers.
2. The prices are well below the market, sometimes half what everyone else charges.
3. The seller is friendly and fast, answering by text or email, often with a story about clearing stock or an overseas shipment.
4. They ask for payment by wire transfer, payment app, gift cards or crypto, usually with urgency: "pay today to hold the unit."
5. The container never arrives. Delivery is delayed with excuses, extra fees appear, and then the seller disappears.

10 warning signs

• The price is far below other quotes for the same size and grade
• Payment only by wire, payment app, gift card or cryptocurrency
• Pressure to pay immediately before the "last unit" sells
• No phone number, or calls always go to voicemail
• No verifiable business address or yard
• The website is brand new, or reviews only go back a few weeks
• Photos are stock images or appear on other sellers' sites
• No unit number, grade or photos of the actual container
• Spelling and grammar errors, or email addresses that don't match the website
• Extra fees appear after you've paid, for "customs", "insurance" or "release"

If you tick more than one, stop and check carefully before paying.

How to check a seller

Search their photos

Use a reverse image search on the container photos in the listing. If the same photos appear on other websites, especially other container sellers, that's a serious warning sign.

Call them

Talk to a person. Ask where the container is, what grade it is and when it can be delivered. Real sellers answer these questions easily.

Verify the business

• Look the company up on your state's business registry.
• Check that the address is a real business or yard, not a house or an empty lot.
• Read reviews across several platforms and look for a long history.

Ask for proof of the actual unit

Ask for the container's unit number and current photos of that unit, including the doors, roof, floor and CSC plate. For extra confidence, ask for a photo with a handwritten note showing today's date and your name, or a quick video call.

Paying safely

• Use a payment method with protection, such as a credit card, where you can dispute charges.
• Avoid wire transfers, payment apps, gift cards and crypto with a seller you can't verify. Once that money is sent, it's very hard to recover.
• Get an invoice or bill of sale showing the seller's full details, the unit number, grade, price and delivery terms.
• Be wary of deposits to unknown sellers. If a deposit is required, make sure the seller checks out first.

If you think you've been scammed

1. Contact your bank or card issuer straight away. The sooner you act, the better the chance of stopping or reversing a payment.
2. Report it to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
3. Report the listing to the platform where you found it.
4. Keep everything: emails, texts, receipts and screenshots of the website.

Lines scammers use

Scam sellers tend to use the same stories. Be cautious if you hear:

• "The container is at the port and just needs a release fee." Legitimate sellers don't ask you to pay port, customs or release fees on a domestic storage purchase.
• "Our card machine is down, so we can only take Zelle or a wire today." A business that can't take normal payments is a warning sign.
• "Free delivery anywhere in the country." Delivery costs real money. Free delivery over long distances is rarely genuine.
• "We're clearing stock, so the price is half what others charge." Genuine clearance discounts exist, but not usually at half the market price.
• "Pay a deposit now and the balance on delivery." Fine from a seller you've verified. Risky from one you haven't.
• "Your container is held at customs; we need an insurance payment." Extra fees after payment are a classic sign the container doesn't exist.

What a legitimate seller looks like

• A phone number answered by a person
• A verifiable business address and, often, a yard or depot
• Reviews from real customers over months or years
• Written quotes with the grade, unit details and delivered price
• Photos of the actual unit on request
• Normal, protected payment options

FAQ

Are container scams common?

Yes. Fake sellers target container buyers because many purchases are made online and sight-unseen. A few checks before paying will protect you.

Is it safe to buy a container online?

Yes, from a seller you've verified. Call them, check their address and reviews, get photos of the actual unit and pay with a protected method.

Why do scammers ask for wire transfers?

Because wire transfers, payment apps, gift cards and crypto are hard to reverse. Legitimate sellers usually offer other payment options.

What should I do if a deal seems too good to be true?

Get two or three other quotes for the same size and grade. If one price is far below the rest, treat it with suspicion until you've verified the seller.