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SCAMMED! Common scams in the horse world -- and how to not get scammed. |
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#1 : Sellers on an online auction site does not actually have the item. They do collect your payment and vanish, usually using someone's hacked account. |
How it works: Scammer picks a high dollar item such as a trailer or brand-name saddle. He goes to someone else's listing and copies those photos to his hard disk. He usually hacks into an existing user's account who has good feedback. You win the auction. He makes up some reason why you can't use the address or paypal that user has on file with ebay. You send your money. Item never arrives. Ebay investigates and finds the real owner of the ebay account never knew someone else was using it.
How to avoid being hit: Look carefully at the photos and compare them with other auctions for the same item. Used items should not have the same photo (same background and everything) in two different auctions. Auctions, especially for a used item, should show actual photos of the item and not a generic photo taken off the manufacturer's web page. If the deal looks to good to be true, it may very well be.
Some items may have serial numbers or VINs, and you may be able to verify the item exists by getting this number from the seller and researching it.
If you win the auction, refuse to send the payment to anywhere other than the address or paypal on file.
How to avoid being used to scam someone else: Have a strong password (letters and numbers). NEVER give the password to anyone. If you get an email that asks you to "verify" your information with the online auction site, don't click that link. Go straight to the front page of eBay.com and log in that way to see if you have any administrative messages. Odds are a scammer is trying to trick you into giving your log in details, and he went so far as to make a fake ebay site that comes up when you click on the email.
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#2 : Buyer sends check for your item but "accidentally" sends too much money. |
How it works: Buyer emails you wanting to buy your ___ immediately. They don't haggle. They get your address and send you a check that looks official. You deposit the check, and the next day the buyer contacts you saying "oops, my secretary accidentally sent too much. I still want your __ but can you mail me a check today for the difference." You, trying to be a nice person, mail him the $300 (or whatever) is extra. His check looks real, and it may even say "certified" on it. In a week your bank mails back his check to you: it's bad. He vanishes. Sometimes he also gets the item you're selling, but usually he's happy with just scamming you for the check.
How to avoid being hit: Be wary of buyers who offer to send payment but don't even ask a single question about how old the horse for sale is or what size the saddle is. Often times his grammar is poor. Never send any refund or item until a check clears (about 10 business days later). Even better, insist buyers you don't know use PayPal.
For further reading: Iowa Attorney General page explaining this scam
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#3 : Horse seller isn't being honest about the horse. (Traditional horse dealer scam) |
How it works: Some basic facts about the horse are misrepresented and/or the horse is drugged. Seller find a clever way to talk you out of doing a vet exam. Seller might also say "someone else was looking at him, and if you don't leave a deposit, he might be gone." Some sellers sense a softie and will tell you "he's going to slaughter auction on Friday if you don't buy him." ALSO: seller is reluctant to put anything in writing about the sale.
How to avoid being hit: Buy with your mind, not with your heart. Don't let anyone pressure you. If the horse is gone when you come back with your vet, then it wasn't meant to be. Talk to your vet about checking for drugging. Don't believe the "slaughter" guilt trip. Ask for full bill of sale in writing including a list of his age, any special claims (eg. he comes with registration papers), and any disclosures. Come see the horse more than once. Ask the horse not be caught, so you can see (1) how he is to catch & tack up and (2) not give the seller a chance to work him to exhaustion so he appears quiet.
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#4 : Stranger tells you they're a sales agent looking for a horse just like yours. Agent will sell your horse for you for a huge profit, if you just send the horse to his barn (usually in another area) at your expense so his buyers can see it. |
How it works: You're told your horse is exceptional and made to feel like he's worth a fortune. The persons says they have buyers looking for a horse just like him. If you'd only board him at his/her sales barn, he/she is sure the horse will sell right away... and for a huge profit! You only have to pay his board and expenses while he's there. The horse ends up being there 6+ months, he doesn't sell (but may be "borrowed" for the trainer to use in shows), and you're out inflated boarding fees. Every time you call, there is some story about some other "interested" buyer, but it never goes anywhere. Or, even worse, the agent says the horse is lame and can't be shown, but you're still out the monthly inflated boarding/training fees.
While there are legitimate sales agents, it's too easy to get caught by an unscrupulous one.
How to avoid being hit: Don't get caught up in the excitement or greed of hearing your horse may be worth $25,000, $50,000, or more. If your horse was really worth that much, go through a reputable local agent that others recommend. Also, if you send your horse to a sales/training barn, be careful of contracts that nickel and dime you. It may end up costing you $1000-$2000+ per month to try to sell a horse who isn't going to sell. Sometimes they even have their students getting experience taking your horse to shows, but they charge YOU for all the show fees because it "improves his value" or "buyers will be there".
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#5 : Fake charity: individual needs your money to "save" a horse. Or stranger wants to "rescue" a horse, but needs your money. |
How it works: Photos of a horse (which may or may not be a horse the person has actually met) are put online. Extreme pressure is used, saying if the money doesn't come in by Monday, the horse is going to slaughter [his blood on your hands, his death your fault, etc]. Or horse is starving as a relative's house, and he's about to die [so send money immediately or else].
Usually the person asking is a stranger. Very little contact information is given. Usually they want the money sent to them, not a donation to their vet. Rarely do they produce proof of the vet's diagnosis or later proof the treatment was actually done.
If it's someone asking for money under an organization name, be aware they cannot promise you a tax deduction if they are not recognized as a non-profit!
How to avoid being hit: There are horses in need in every state, so give locally so you can see how your money is being used. If it's an organization asking for money, you can verify their claim that they're non-profit by checking the IRS List 78.
Be wary of anyone who relies on constant high pressure tactics. Also be wary if they have zero plan & resources to care for the animal your money is helping to buy to "save". It's not really helping the horse to move him, just to have him continue to starve or not get needed vet care.
If the story sounds odd or the person seems unprepared, google around. Make sure the barn fire or whatever actually happened. Some stories re-appear every few months (and still questions are never answered), but the person continues to ask for money.
If you suspect a horse really is being neglected or abused, try to find out an address. Then use the internet to find the number for Animal Control for that area.
Get everything in writing. Be careful of checks, even "certified" ones. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Filing a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission
For further reading, visit the scams page on whinny.org