Police are warning the community to be aware of online livestock scams.
The Queensland Rural and Stock Crime Squad are investigating multiple reports of fraud where livestock are being advertised on social media and allegedly when deposits are made the livestock are either not delivered by the seller as agreed or the buyer attends an address to realise that the livestock aren’t there.
The reports have included different breeds of cattle, horses, donkeys and chickens.
The Rural and Stock Crime Squad encourages livestock buyers to conduct background checks in relation to the seller and livestock before paying any deposit.
These checks could include arranging to inspect the livestock, requesting the Property Identification Code, National Vendor Declaration and National Livestock Identification System tag numbers.
Farmers warned to beware of scams on social media
The ACCC’s National Anti-Scam Centre has also recently posted warnings for farmers on social media, focusing on hay bale scams.
Scammers advertise hay for sale and ask for a deposit, with the balance payable in cash on delivery. But the hay never arrives and the scammer stops all communication. While the recent trend focuses on hay for sale, other agricultural-related products may be referenced in similar scams.
Never pay money to someone you only know through social media. If you’re making an online purchase, use secure payment methods such as PayPal or credit card.
Contact your bank immediately if you’ve transferred money or shared financial information. Help others by reporting scams to Scamwatch.
See our anti-scam posts on X and on Facebook.
According to NASC, in 2023, scams, where contact occurred via social media, resulted in the second-highest volume of reported losses, increasing by 16.5% from 2022 to $93.5 million.
Scammers set up fake profiles on social media, messaging platforms and apps. They pretend to be from the government, a real business, an employer, an investment firm, or even a friend, family member or romantic interest.
Scammers can also learn much about you from the details you share on your social media accounts. They create quizzes or posts designed to deceive you into sharing personal information. They use this information to guess your account passwords or target you with other scams.
Police encourage anyone who is a victim of this type of crime to the Australian Cyber Security Centre at Report | Cyber.gov.au
If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/
Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au
Caveat emptor meets Darwin’s theory.