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/
