The following information is provided as a public service. While certain local, state and federal statutes or other laws may be discussed, the laws of each state and often each municipality vary and each may have its own procedures and time limitations which must be followed. BAEN shall not be liable for any information provided herein. Please read our full Legal Disclaimer.

Starting 11/2007, BAEN will post email addresses of suspected scammers reported by BAEN users.  Click here to view.

If you receive a suspected scam/spam message, forward the entire message to info@bayequest.com along with you comments. We'll add the sender to BAEN's mail filter.  You can then delete the original scam message without responding, just like you would any other unwanted email message.

IMPORTANT Warning to AOL Users!  DO NOT report BAENmail messages to your ISP as spam - The BAENmail message is coming from BAEN's server, NOT directly from the scammer.  Reporting BAENmail to AOL as spam results in BAEN's own IP address being blocked, which means you and other AOL users will be unable to receive email responses to your ads.  

This is an old scam making the rounds on the Internet with a slightly different angle. It first gained national attention in January of 2003 (do a Google search for "cashier's check scam" and you'll get hundreds of results). These scammers are all over the Internet targeting anyone selling high-priced items such as cars, boats, airplanes, and yes, even horses and horse equipment. Their goal is to find a trusting seller to whom they can pass a counterfeit cashier's check. The scammer entices the seller with a cashier's check made out for more than the purchase price and a request for the seller to refund the difference. 

The scammer usually starts by sending an email inquiry about the horse or item for sale (see sample) but doesn't ask the type of questions you would expect from a legitimate buyer (although this is not always the case - see below). If the seller responds, the scammer eventually brings up the subject of a cashiers check that his agent/client/friend/relative/etc. will send or deliver. Sellers may may receive multiple nearly identical messages from different email addresses; the same nearly identical message may also go out to hundreds of different sellers. Frequently the scammer has poor English language skills. In some cases where contact is made via telephone, the scammer pretends to be deaf and uses an interpretive service.

With the BAENmail links in our classifieds, it's possible for scammers to send you email messages if you include an email link in your post, but the scammer cannot see your email address or save it to a mailing list. Web site security is not the issue - these scammers are not hacking computer systems, they are manually browsing public web sites just like other legitimate visitors and clicking on email links. Other horse commerce sites like Dreamhorse, Webpony, etc. are also being targeted (probably because of the preponderance of high-ticket items for sale - scammers go where the money is).  The only foolproof way to avoid receiving email scams or spam is to not post your email address on the Internet.

Some Commonsense Advice

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Even though you've posted a for-sale ad, whether electronically or in print, you are under NO obligation to sell to anyone, no matter who they are or how much they offer. You are NO obligation to respond to an email or phone offer that makes you uncomfortable in any way. It's YOUR item for sale on YOUR terms, and anyone who is put off by your legitimate efforts to protect yourself and your property can take a hike. Treat suspicious emails like spam and delete upon receipt without replying.

Your best protection is to insist upon cash paid in person. Do NOT accept cashier's checks or Qchex checks. Do not ship your horse or item until you've been paid in full and the money is deposited to your account. If you feel you must accept a check, insist that the issuing bank clear the check before the horse or item leaves your control (this can take 7-14 days, which is why the scammers pressure you to ship NOW). Don't allow ANYONE to pressure you into a sale. Reduce your exposure to scams by dealing locally as much as possible. Learn more ways to protect yourself at http://www.ftc.gov/onlineshopping/.

BAEN and its parent company Extend, Inc. can't assume the role of investigator or enforcer in complaint or scam cases. Unlike some other classified ad websites, we don't take commissions on transactions and don't serve as intermediary between buyer and seller, nor do we provide buyer protection or seller certification.   If you receive a suspected scam message, please forward it to info@bayequest.com then report it to the sender's email service provider.

If you're a Scam Victim...

If you believe you are the victim of a scam,  report it to your local police immediately. 

Please see additional resources at Scam Victims United. 

To file complaints in the US use the Federal Trade Commission Consumer Complaint Form or forward suspected scam email to uce@ftc.gov. For Canadian Complaints contact the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. For more information on this scam, please view Google search results. 

• http://www.fraud.org/
• http://www.craigslist.org/about/scams.html
• http://www.fraud.org/tips/internet/fakecheck.htm
• http://www.ic3.gov/crimeschemes.aspx
• http://internetscamalert.com/
• http://dreamhorsetraining.com/Anti-spam.html 

Sample Cashier's Check Scam Messages and Email address

We've posted scammers' email addresses and a selection of Cashier's Check scam messages contributed by our users. If you received a scam message that is substantially different from these examples, please forward to us and we'll share it here.

I attached you few photos of the trailer. Since i have a lot of work to be taken care of here i choose to use a shipping company where the trailer is already crated so can help us to make this deal. I really think that the best and safest way for the both of us for completing this deal is through a third party escrow service. In all my past Internet transactions I have used D&S Transport Inc,( www.das-transport.com ) as an escrow and shipping company, and every deal I made was a success. I've shipped several times with them and have established trust .

For the escrow part,since the trailer is already at D&S after you will e-mail me your shipping address,i will contact D&S with your details, and i can provide you in a short time the tracking number and all the storage details to verify that the trailer is shipped under your name and address. It will be your turn then to make the $6,000 payment to D&S Transport Inc. After your payment will be confirmed and secured by them, the shipping process will start (in 3-4 days tops you will have the trailer there).

All shipping and insurance fees will be paid by me as agreed. After you get the trailer, I will allow you 5 days for inspecting the trailer. If you find everything allright after the inspection period, you must contact D&S to release me your payment. The entire payment will only be released to me AFTER you confirm them that you received and inspected the trailer as agreed, and found nothing wrong with it. if for some reason you find the trailer unsatisfactory (which I am sure will not happen), I will have it shipped back on my expense, and you will be fully refunded by D&S Transport Inc in 2 working days.

If you have any further questions, feel free to ask as I would be glad to assist you in any way I can.

If you will provide me your shipping address or Your full name, city state, zip code. I will fax the details to D&S Transport inc. once they will receive your info will start the shipping to your location, the trailer will arrive in 3,4 working days. Please NOTE that the shipping will not start until you will not send the payment to D&S Transport by Bank to Bank Wire Transfer not cash. When you buy over internet you don't buy with cash... If you accept then i'm waiting your details if you will not accept, thanks for your time.

Dutch and Paint horse scam

2/15/07  Now she has included selling Percherons as "Fresians" and draft paints as "Vanners." The Vanner community is all over it and is acting aggressively....they are an amazingly tight and helpful group. Of course she is still selling "Dutch Warmbloods" as well....My next concern are the horses she sells as "bombproof" to Novices and families....these ads are more difficult for us to find. If any member of your group know the where-abouts of Ms. Kenney that would be helpful as we have a Process Server on retainer.  Please see http://www.awhitehorse.com/horsesmouth/index.php?showtopic=9653&hl=have+you+seen+this+woman

9/22/06  46 of us have been scammed out of over 100k by a woman advertising on the Internet under several aliases, please see http://www.awhitehorse.com/horsesmouth/index.php?showtopic=9653&hl=have+you+seen+this+woman. She has listed the same Dutch warmbloods or Paints for under 7k in Barstow, Phelan, Escondido and as of yesterday Anaheim, CA . She is very convincing that she will provide you with a 30 return policy. Shippers won't take your horse to you as it's a slaughterhouse rescue, not a registered anything. Once you send money, no one in Barstow, Wrightwood will help you, you are out. Please spread the word. Bayequest is a super site for protection against fraud, but other sites, are still running, www.awhitehorse.com/horsesmouth/index.php?showtopic=9653&st=0&, Send this ad to a friend, AD ID: 60651, Barstow, CA, Submitted On: 09/22.
  

This email message appears to be a variation on the old Nigerian Scam, which has been around since before the Internet  We will post more information as it becomes available.

Good day, I wish to introduce myself to you. I am Colonel James Aristide (RTD).I am the brother to the exiled President of Haiti( a small nation in the carribean Islands) Dr. Jean Betrand Aristide.Due to the revolution against the goverment of my brother caused by our political opponents in Haiti, we had to flee the Island for the safety of our lives.My wife, children and I managed to enter a red cross airplane that was evacuating foreigners and we are presently in a refugee camp in the coastal city of Cadiff, the United Kingdom.We wish to invest in equine properties and equally start a new life in your country with your assistance and cooperation.If you are in a good position to help my family, please send an e-mail to the e-mail address below indicating your desire to help my family invest this funds in your country and beyond. I urgently await your e-mail letter. best regards and hope to meet you soon. God bless, Col.James Aristide (RTD) E-mail: as53agl@aley.net

This is not a confirmed scam but we want to give users a heads up.  Ads posted on our site include the city and state as entered by the advertiser. If, when you contact an advertiser he/she asks you to mail payment to a city and state different from the one given in the ad, and/or says that the item for sale is not actually located in the city and state advertised, proceed with caution. Any advertiser who claims a different location from what's stated in the ad should raise a red flag for buyers.  If you encounter this situation, please email us at info@bayequest.com and include the ad ID number so we can check it out.