Horse Internet Scams - Buyers Beware

Internet scams are common in the horse industry. There are three common scams that buyers need to be aware of. 

First is the Friesian Horse Scam.

Here is how it works. A scammer will have ads in popular horse classified websites. He or she will list a Friesian horse for a really low price and sometimes free to a good home. An unsuspecting buyer will see the ad and think 'Wow! What a great deal!' The buyer may be suspicious but makes contact with the seller and their heart overrides the warning signs and before they know it not only are they heartbroken but they are out money that they will never see again. We should all listen to our mothers because if it sounds too good to be true, it is a scam. No one would ever give an expensive horse away or sell it for a low price. A horse worth $15,000 will never sell for $2000. Other breeds targeted are Gypsy Vanners. Always do a search of the seller's email before purchasing a horse. Also add scam or complaint at the end of your search words. For instance: "So and So Farms Complaint..." 

The second popular scam used on the Internet is for horse transportation. This scam can be combined with the above scam. You find a horse for free or really cheap but then they suggest a shipper and when you pay the shipping you find out later the shipping company does not exist. The seller/shipper are the same and you are out your money. Always use a recommended shipper. Your horse friends can usually help with reliable shipping companies.

The third scam is not for a horse but for the next best thing in my world...the horse trailer. I have seen these ads and the first one I saw  I almost emailed the seller about it. The ad was for a horse trailer with full living quarters for $5000. Anyone trailer shopping knows that a LQ trailer will cost many thousands of dollars, some more than my house. Do NOT be fooled. These cheap LQ trailer do NOT exist. The ad is a scam. 

Here are a couple of links for more information.

http://www.theequinest.com/friesian-in-texas/


http://www.theequinest.com/friesian-in-texas/

What Is A Horse Trader?

My definition of a horse trader is someone who buys horses for a cheap price and immediately resells them for more than they paid for them. Rehabbing a horse is when someone that puts time and money into training or spends months rehabbing a horse that was sick or starved. The difference between being a trader and a rehabber is that the trader usually does not know much if anything about the background of the horses they sell. They may feed a skinny horse but they usually do not spend extra on training, vet bills, or special farrier work. It is possible to find some great horses from the trader. An honest horse trader is a valuable tool. They know where to find good horses, they are helpful in finding lost or stolen horses, and they know who the creeps are and can direct you to other honest horse sellers. My problem is with horse traders that lie, cheat, and drug horses. My advice is to always bring several people with you when looking at a horse. You need to have a person experienced with the breed you are considering. You should also bring someone that can be neutral and will not get caught up in the excitement of buying a horse; a non-horsey spouse or relative is great for this. A pre-purchase vet exam is a no-brainer. Use your own vet or someone your vet recommends. Never use the seller’s vet. Make sure you have the seller show you the vet records before you purchase the horse.

A simple Google search can save you a lot of heartache. Make sure you search the name of the farm, the name of the seller, the name of the horse, the seller’s phone number, and the seller’s email address. Each piece of information may show different results.

Here are several websites that have information on bad rescues and complaints.

http://www.amnestyhorserescue.org/news.html

http://www.ripoffreport.com

http://www.complaintsboard.com/

http://www.complaints.com

www.dreamhorse.com/fraud.php

www.fuglyblog.com

You can also check the BBB of the location in which the seller resides. Just remember the BBB only has detailed information on their members so a seller might not be listed.

If you have any questions feel free to email me.

Coming Soon!

  I am researching my first horse trader. There are so many complaints that I'm surprised they are still in business. They go by numerous names. They not only have websites but advertise on Craigslist. So any additional information on these people will be helpful to buyers.
  The website names I've found so far is texashorse.org  akidhorse.com and aranchhorse.com
  These sites are so similar it is obvious they are run by the same people. There are numerous complaints and I personally received a strange email when I inquired about a horse. I will have a full report in a couple of days so send me your stories, good and bad.

Introduction

  Have you ever been to a website and loved everything you see? The horses look safe and beautiful, you drool over every picture and video...and despite the fancy website you either go to the farm or have your new horse delivered and find out the hard way...you just got SCREWED!

  I have nothing against horse traders, as long as they don't pretend to be breeders, rescuers, etc. Have some pride people! Everyone needs to feed their family and if you buy and sell horses just be honest about it. If you don't know crap about the horse you got in last week, just tell me.

  The worst of the worst is the losers that claim to have a "kid safe horse" and either know nothing about that horse or purposely deceive buyers and drug a horse just for a sale. That is lower than low.

  Send me your bad buying experiences. I will gladly tell the world your story. I will not publish gossip. If you have a friend of a friend that got screwed, I cannot publish hearsay. I will try to include any evidence available. Remember, this blog is opinions only. I am not responsible for submissions or comments on this blog. I am just the messenger but if you think you can rip off horse buyers and get away with it...think again. The horse world is smaller than you think.