ONLINE HORSE SCAM ALERT!

What to do to avoid fallen victim to this scam?

• Accept cash, Western Union, or Wire transfer for payment. Or, have your bank authorize the cashiers 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 all funds are in the bank
• Use an escrow service to be sure your funds are safe
• Speak to the buyer via phone 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 to good to be true... it usually is

Just to let you know what is happening to us with a scam.

I was contacted on the 27 of July by email that this person, Sir Stuart Bell from the UK, saw my horse for sale and wanted my horse immediately.

He wanted all my phone numbers: I gave him my home phone only. 

He called on the 28th and really wanted this horse and proceeded to send the funds the next day. I told him not to rush because the horse had just been castrated and he needed a few weeks to heal. That didn't matter to him. He sent all the money for the horse AND the money for the shipper. 

As soon as I got the check I was to "immediately" go to the nearest Western Union and wire the money to the shipper, who by the way had also contacted me by email (same person?) 

Anyway, to make a long story short. We received the "cashiers" check today. Supposedly drawn on a Rocky Mountain credit union here in the states in Bozeman MT. BUT mailed from the UK with NO return address! 

The check looked legit but took it to our bank and they verified that it was a fake! 

I guess people do fall for this and maybe these scam people are targeting women?! This person would not ever speak to my husband even when he answered the phone, he would always ask for me. 

Last night he called and expected us to have the check, we had not gotten it yet, but just before he hung up he said to me "now you know what to do when you get the money"? 

We received the check today and expect him to call tonight to see if we got it. I am going to put him off a couple days since we have filed a complaint with the FBI.

I think people should be more aware that this is going on and probably more woman than men are the targets.

Thanks,
M. Reno

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