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  Discussion on WARNING! - Internet scam directed at horse sellers.
Author Message
Member:
Jcsmoon

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 4, 2003 - 10:37 am:

I have been offering a horse for sale that is posted on several internet horse classified sites. I just recieved the following email which I highly suspect (OK I am flat convinced) is a scam.

This is almost funny untill you think that someone may actually fall for it. Let this be a reminder to everyone that most scamers are much better at it than this knot-head. Question any request for information, no matter how official it looks!

-This Email message was tracked back to an free auto mailer service, note that the words "Dandyfarm", "horse", and the price are clearly auto-filled from a data base and the horse is refered to as "it". Besides, since when was a horse purchase an international secret! REALY! LOL- Emily

<<Dear Sir/Madam.

I am Westley Smith,sales manager for
DANDYFARMS.We specialise in purchase of
HORSES for customers worldwide, and we get paid in
commission,after payment has been confirmed by the seller to the
buyer.As present we have a customer interested in purchasing your
HORSE mentioned above for the sum of $2,200,and we will arrange for
the pick up of the HORSE once payment is confirmed cleared by you.

Please acknowledge the offer and we will inform the buyer of your
confirmation of acceptance to sell and have the funds remitted to you
as soon as possible. NOTE: My customer is a diplomat and due to his
job and duties he would want this to be kept in your utmost
conifidentiality and trust,till the end of this transaction. I hope
you can understand.

Our office is located in derby county in uk. I want to know if you
accept a casher's cheque drawn in an American Bank.If that is okay by
you get back to me as soon as possible because I need it urgently. If
interested you can as well reach me as soon as possible with your
full names, contact address telephone number .

Thanks,

Westley Smith...

REPLY

<<Dear Mr. Smith.

No insult intended, but you have a very suspiscous presentation. In checking up on you, you have obviously used an auto mailer, and a free one at that. You have no web site and no traceable information as a farm. I am highly suspicious.

I care very much for the horse in question and have NO intention of selling this horse blind, much less paying a commission for an openly advertised horse. To be very blunt, I have no desire to put my horse in the middle of a scam for any amount of money.

Sincerly
Owner
Twisted Tree Farm


Member:
Mrose

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 4, 2003 - 2:08 pm:

Another breeder in our area had a very similar email. It is like a horse version of the Nigerian scam. If you acknowledge and say you want money dep. in an American bank, they then ask for your acc't. number, etc. And-WHAM---you've been robbed. Sad but true, on the internet, mabye even more than other venues, you must be aware!
Member:
Westks

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 4, 2003 - 2:08 pm:

Well it appears you have handled the situation well, however I doubt you were the one being scammed. The buyer was probably paying twice that price, and a commission. This is a common practice among horse brokers/traders in America for 20 years, let alone the UK. Then there is quarentine and shipping to UK. Which broker is probably making another $5000 on above actual costs.
Member:
Chrism

Posted on Tuesday, Nov 4, 2003 - 4:10 pm:

I've seen it for anything you post for sale on the internet. I had someone trying to buy an golf caddy and the context of the letter was all wrong. No one would import/export a used golf caddy!

Cheers.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 5, 2003 - 7:17 am:

Thanks for the heads up everyone.
DrO
Member:
Sefiroth

Posted on Wednesday, Nov 5, 2003 - 9:57 pm:

Here's a link to a woman who took someone trying to scam her for quite a ride. Its a long read, but it's definetly worth it for the laughs!

https://www.bustedupcowgirl.com/scam.htm
Member:
Chrism

Posted on Thursday, Nov 6, 2003 - 4:55 pm:

LOLOL. This is hilarious. Makes me want to do the same!

Cheers.
Member:
Imogen

Posted on Friday, Nov 7, 2003 - 1:49 am:

Just an aside for future scam-spotting...

There is no derby county in the UK. It's called Derbyshire. It's one of those strange things that although there are counties in England which are local government administrative areas (and usually go back many hundreds of years) in fact they are described in their names as shires eg Cambridgeshire, Leicestershire.

We also have counties in Ireland but ours have the county in front eg County Cork, County Meath, not as you would have it in America, Cork County or Meath County.

All the best

Imogen
Member:
Lchapman

Posted on Friday, Nov 5, 2004 - 7:48 am:

I have also received several emails regarding the same thing wanting to buy my mare that I have listed here. Thanks for the post and email address from the busted up cowgirl. I will pass this information on to the horse people I know in the Central Texas area to beware.
Member:
Cowgrl

Posted on Friday, Nov 5, 2004 - 12:24 pm:

Sharon, Too too funny!! LOL!
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