Warning!

Beware of Horse Buying Scams - Updated 5 May 2008

There are honest and dishonest people using the Internet, just as there are honest and dishonest people anywhere. Several OzeHorses users, recently received inquiries that are HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS (see examples below). There are many similar scams. They started off as letter based, then went to fax, and then move to the Internet.

The common thread is that they give the victim the impression that they are going to benefit financially from the deal. The criminal gets the victim into a position of "trust". Many of these scams exploit the "greed demon" in the victim.

In the end the victim, being overwhelmed with the potential gain will make an error in judgement, resulting in their paying the criminal money, and in the case of a sale, potentially losing the item being sold.

Users of the OzeHorses Saleyard must take care NOT to be drawn into such 'deals'.

The Internet can work well for the honest, we must however remain alert to the fact that there are dishonest people, as there have always been!

The following description at DreamHorse.com covers the topic very well. We at OzeHorses agree with their words.

A very serious matter has come to our attention and we feel it is our duty to inform our users regarding any type of large-scale fraudulent activity that may be taking place related to this industry. We strongly believe in educating everyone to create an environment that is beneficial to both the buyer and the seller.

We are doing our best to intercept, record, and report contacts of this nature here on DreamHorse.com while protecting your email address from public display. We hope you will read this warning because you may have horses for sale on other sites that do not take these measures.

People selling horses are receiving buyer inquiries from a third party regarding the purchase of a horse from a potential buyer in Nigeria, Africa, London, Hong Kong, AND OTHERS. This inquiry commonly attempts to arrange the purchase of the horse with a cashiers check covering the price of the horse and shipping. After the horse has been shipped, they commonly ask you to refund the shipping charges as part of a "finders' fee" arrangement. They may also send you a check larger than the purchase price and ask for a refund of the difference.

Unfortunately, the cashier's check that is sent is COUNTERFEIT. This fact is not uncovered until the horse and your money have been forwarded to the scam artists.

This scam may take various forms including purchasing frozen semen, using wire transfers, etc. but all of the emails we have seen have various similarities including misspellings, bad English, foreign countries, and making offers for a client or other third party.

To protect yourselves and others against this type of activity, it is important to try and obtain as much information about the buyer as possible. If you suspect the buyer may be involved in this or similar scams, please forward any information you can obtain to the following organizations:

Well Said DreamHorse.com! ...go there

Examples:

Here are excerpts from HIGHLY SUSPICIOUS emails!

The Inquiry

Date: Monday, May 5, 2008, 5:32 PM

From: paulgarza1983@yahoo.com

Subject: Saleyard Title

Dear Email Name,

Regarding: Saleyard Title

Hi,

I am Paul Garza,I'm interested in your Horse advertised for sale ,I will like you to get back to me if the Horse is still available for sale and tell me more about the Horse and if possible, i would like to know the reason why selling it and i will like you to tell your best offer for it.

Warm Regards.

Paul Garza

The Inquiry

Date: Tuesday, January 29, 2008, 15:41:48 AM

Subject: Get Back

Hello Mate, I came across your ads and am so much intrested in buying it, so if it still available, i would want you to get back to me with the asking price,condition and why did you want to sell it and also get to me with at list two pic.

Concerning the payment, i would be paying you with a cashier's check and also i will wait until the check clears before i can have it with me, so i hope you understand me? so i await to hear from you soon.

Thanks alot and speak soon.

Kind Regards.

The Follow Up

Hello,

Thanks alot for getting back to me. I reside in Canada and am only intrested in the horse coz i want to get it for my father as i have promised him that i will get the horse for me. Currently am United Kingdom for a crucial appointment but i will be back to the Canada very soon, so i hope this is clear to you? Concerning the asking price of the horse and also the condition am very well ok with it. Regarding the payment, i would be paying you with a cashier's check, and also i would wait until the cashier's check clears before i can have the horse with me and in order to send the cashier's check to you, i would need full name that will be on the check and also you full contact address where to send the check to and your mobile number and land number so i could forward it to my client for him to issue out the cashier's check payment to you as soon as possible, so i hope you understand me? Concerning the viewing and the shipping of the horse at your location my shipping agent will be the one handling that when his coming for the pick up of the horse, so dont worry yourself on that, so i hope this is clear to you? so i await to hear from you soon.

Thanks alot and speak soon.

Kind Regards

The Inquiry

Date: Monday, April 19, 2004, 12:25:20 AM

Subject: Your Horse

Hello, MY name is LARRY SCOTT,i am interested in purcahing your horse - you posted, for sale. do let me know if this still avalible.

i based in west dubai brook. don;t worry about the shipping i have a shipping company with will take care of the shipment,just let me know if you accept cheque for the payment.also do let me know if you accept check for the payment.i look forward to hear from you as soon as possible if still for sale.i moved by your price which you placed for sale.i hope to hear from you as soon aspossible.

Regards, LARRY

The Follow Up

Sent: Monday, April 19, 2004 8:03 PM

Subject: MODE OF PAYMENT AND AGREEMENT

Thanks for the e-mail, my client in the state will be sending you $6000, which covered the shipping cost.which you will have to send the remaining funds to my shipping company coming for the pick up ofthe 3 Way Hip Sled in you place.Immidiately you receive the Cashiers Cheque i will forward you my shipping company where you will send the remaining fund. As soon as the funds clear in your bank you send the remaining funds via WESTERN UNION OR MONEY GRAM WIRED TRANSFER outlet near around you.Do let me know,so that he can mail you the cashiers check for the payment give me your full name, Address and phone number: which the check will be mail outto. ilook forward to hear from you..... and also send me you full name and address in which the check is going to be sent:

Take Care

The above examples do indeed look suspicious, but just remember that people HAVE BEEN trapped. Beware of the "good deal", that just seems too good to be true... particularly when times are a bit tough... Kind regards J&KJ-B