ONLINE HORSE SCAM ALERT!

In cooperation with HorseCity.com, the Internet Fraud Complaint Center was established as a partnership between the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the National White Collar Crime Center to serve as a means to receive Internet related criminal complaints, research, develop and refer the criminal complaints to law enforcement agencies for any investigation they deem to be appropriate. The IFCC was intended, and continues to emphasize serving the broader law enforcement community, to include federal, as well as state and local agencies, which are combating Internet crime and in many cases participating in Cyber Crime Task Forces.

Please go to this web address to file your scam or horse fraud alerts or complaints. http://www.ic3.gov
What is this scam about?
A buyer will contact you via e-mail about your horse for sale. They will pay for the horse with a cashier's check that is fake. In some cases, they will make the check for more than the selling price and ask you to send them the balance. The seller often takes the check and ships the horse not knowing the check is fake. The seller is notified by the bank that the check is fake and the seller has lost money AND their horse.

What can you do to avoid becoming a victim of this scam?

  • Accept cash, Western Union, or Wire transfer for payment. Or, have your bank authorize the cashier's check before you ship the horse.
  • If it sounds to good to be true... it usually is.
  • Never ship a horse unless payment has been received and you verify that all funds are in the bank.
  • Use an escrow service to be sure that your funds are safe.
  • Speak to the buyer via telephone and verify all information.
  • Ask for the phone number of the issuing bank and call to verify fund on the check sent to you.
  • People from overseas, VERY RARELY buy horses from non-USDA approved horse facilities.
  • VERY RARELY do people within the USA use a broker from overseas to buy a horse.
  • Contact HorseCity.com or BarrelHorses.com toll free for advice 877-505-4344
  • If it sounds too good to be true... it usually is.

Close this window and return to classifieds.