The Australian Maritime Safety Authority has become aware of a sophisticated rubber fender scam, using a falsification of AMSA’s crest and stamp to endorse rubber fenders.
Ship Safety Division general manager Allan Schwartz said the scam contained what appears to be a certification or approval letter from AMSA’s “quality control department” for the ‘yokohama’ style of fenders, designed for the berthing and mooring of a ship to another ship or berthing structure.
“These letters bear a stamp and crest in the name of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority,” Mr Schwartz said.
“AMSA does not carry out testing or issue approval certification of this nature.
“It appears someone has gone to a lot of trouble to create this false documentation to dupe people into buying these products.”
Mr Schwartz said the Sydney company nominated as the manufacturer of the fenders did not appear to exist. If ship owners or operators have any suspicion they are being targeted by scammers using AMSA’s name or details they should contact AMSA to verify if the documents or certificates they have been
presented are legitimate.
Contact AMSA via their web site.