I can't figure out if this is a scam or not...

[ponyxjd]

Alright, so I did all of my research on the scams people try to pull with buying horses, and I've been talking to someone who lives in MN, (I'm in MD) who's interested in my mare, and they want to ship her out without seeing her. At first I was tempted to just ignore her email, but I was bored so typed out a serious reply. I just can't tell if it's a scam, sure doesn't seem like it. These have been our emails... If it's in brackets I edited it.
________
Hello,

I am looking for an all around english/jumping horse to maybe do some 4-H, and local showing with. I am 13 years old, and have 7 years of expirience with horses. I have always rode english and jumped my
first horse when I was 6. Do you think <horse> would be a good match? Does she have any bad habits etc? What is the lowest price on her? More info and pictures would be awesome! Thanks!

<name> <3
________

(yes, she did sign with a heart)

Hi <name>,
I don't see why <horse> wouldn't be a good match. She's a very sweet
horse who just wants to please her rider, never temperamental. Her only bad habit is when she's in the barn tacking up by herself, she walks
around in the cross ties and doesn't like the stay still. She doesn't jog or
bolt, she just takes a few steps forward, a few steps back, repeat. She's
fine riding by herself, it's only in the barn she acts goofy.

I just lowered her price by <$$>, but I would be willing to
come down a *little* bit to a good home. She has over <$$> worth of dressage training under her girth so I would barely break even with her
current price. I would also be willing to work out a payment plan.

Here are some pictures. Let me know if you have any other questions.
_______

Hi <my name>,

She sounds very nice! I know how they can be with being tied. My
horses are the same way! They just like to move around etc. and
honestly it doesnt matter to me. :)

Would you take <$$> for her? If we were to take her, we would have to have her shipped to Minnesota. She is super cute! I also like her form over the jumps! Very clean and nice. Let me know what you think on the price.Thanks for the photos! I greatly appreciate it!

<name>~

______

<name>,
Are you planning on coming out to MD to try her? And I think if it was a
perfect match, I would take <$$>.

Let me know if you have anymore questions.
______

Hi <name>!

Unfortunatly, coming to try her wouldnt work out. We would have to have her shipped to Minnesota. I have done that several time with horses over the past couple years. Do you have any videos of her?

Thanks!

<name>~
______

And I haven't responded yet. Do people generally allow their kids to buy 4h horses and ship them half way across the country? My horse is listed in the mid-low four figures and 5 so it's not like she's made in any way. Her comments about horses could be made by a scammer with good observation skills/common sense, or a 13 year old who can't spell "experience" and likes to decorate emails with hearts and smiles. What do you think, legit? Or non?

[JohnDeere]

Definately a scam.

No OMG/LOL and the sentences are clear.

Only kidding. Not a scam but dont expect your horse to sell. I have experience with 13 y/o girls, and I dont know any who could buy the horse. I would ask to speak via phone with an adult & see what happens.

[grandprixjump]

I don't think this is a scammer, but get a phone number and call her parents. Don't give them your number ask for number to call..

[Seven-up]

Tell her that her parents need to contact you by phone. If it's a scam, they won't call. If she's just a kid playing make believe, they won't call. But you can't do business with a 13 year old, so any further contact must be made thru her parents.



Lots of people buy long distance without seeing the horse in person. I did. But I'm not 13.;)

[Cindyg]

Personally, I would not sell a horse to someone who couldn't/wouldn't come out and meet my horse. I know people do it all the time, but I would not. (I haven't sold a horse since the pony I outgrew in 1973. LOL!)

But, for me, no. I would make the sale and any negotiations contingent on their coming out.

Frankly, ideally, I'd like to see their set up too. I know that's not always possible, especially with a cross country sale, but that would be my Plan A.

[Roan]

I would:

a) ask for the parents' phone number, call and talk to them
b) ask for past purchase references
c) follow up with the purchase references

Eileen

[Weighaton]

When we sold one of our geldings years ago I had a reply from what I soon realized was a minor. Her emails were polite and well written. But as I asked - Are you parents aware that you are trying to purchase a horse? YES

Can I speak with you parents? NO THEY ARE OUT OF THE COUNTRY BUT WILL BE BACK SOON. THEY TOLD ME TO PICK THE HORSE AND ARRANGE EVERYTHING.

This child was 17 years old. Home schooled and her story was completely legitimate. When her parents arrived home from South Africa we spoke. The contracts were sent to them and the final payments and arrangements were made for shipping.

My point is just because this appears to be a minor do not discount it as illegitimate. It does not sound like a scam but just insist on speaking with the parents.

[Flash44]

It's a scam. You should have had a phone conversation by now if it was a serious buyer. And are there no horses between Maryland and Minnesota???? A serious buyer would have been on the phone and then made an appt to come out and see the horse.

[merrygoround]

Mom and/or Dad needs to be heard from here. 13 is waaay to young.

[greysandbays]

Probabably not a "scam", per se. But probably not a likely buyer either. Likely just a kid with dreams. When I was in my teens, I sent a couple of letters to farms (whose horses I'd especially liked in the Arab magazines) asking about horses for sale. Got nice enough replies, but of course, the "dream" went nowhere.

It's a scam. You should have had a phone conversation by now if it was a serious buyer. And are there no horses between Maryland and Minnesota???? A serious buyer would have been on the phone and then made an appt to come out and see the horse.

Given the deplorable state of public education these days, maybe this 13 year old doesn't realize how FAR Maryland is from Minnesota. After all, they both start with M, how far apart can they be?

Even if that isn't the case, a kid doesn't have any concept of distance unless they've done a lot of traveling -- and often not much concept of money either.

[arabhorse2]

I don't smell a scam, just a 13 y/o who's 'wish buying'.

I did the same thing at her age, except we didn't have the interwebz back then, so I could only look at the pretty pictures and dream of calling the numbers on the ads.

Ask to speak to her parents. I'm fairly certain little miss will then disappear off the face of the earth. ;)

[Ambrey]

If it's a scam, it's a really good one!

Honestly, just say "I don't think that would work for me, as I need to meet her future owners and find out how they get along in person. If you can arrange to come out and meet her, let me know."

[Gloria]

I would give her a benefit of doubt. Who knows? Maybe her parents believe she could handle something like that. I would just make sure that her check clears before shipping the horse out.

[dghunter]

Given the deplorable state of public education these days, maybe this 13 year old doesn't realize how FAR Maryland is from Minnesota. After all, they both start with M, how far apart can they be?

Even if that isn't the case, a kid doesn't have any concept of distance unless they've done a lot of traveling -- and often not much concept of money either.

Slight hijack but we went to a rib burn off recently and one of the places was from South Carolina. This guy behind us goes "Where's South Carolina at?" and his friend replies "I think it's near Georgia." :eek: We are in Ohio but still I would hope people know roughly where all 50 states are!

[RedTahoe]

As others have said, have mom, dad, or guardian contact you.

I had a 13 year old contact me several years ago from an ad I had online. I was tired of "wish-shopping" (as someone said), but this girl was legit. However, they did make the 8 hour drive (one-way) to come and try out the horse before buying, but I had my doubts the first couple of e-mails (until her mom called me at my work) that it was going to be an actual sale.

[MILOUTE55]

Given the deplorable state of public education these days, maybe this 13 year old doesn't realize how FAR Maryland is from Minnesota. After all, they both start with M, how far apart can they be?


:D :D :D

[arabhorse2]

Slight hijack but we went to a rib burn off recently and one of the places was from South Carolina. This guy behind us goes "Where's South Carolina at?" and his friend replies "I think it's near Georgia." :eek: We are in Ohio but still I would hope people know roughly where all 50 states are!

It is near Georgia. It's also just south of North Carolina. :lol:

Heck, it's not hard to get out a map of the U.S. and look at the states.

I have a pretty good idea where most of 'em are located, just by memory from my public school edumacation. :D

[paintlady]

I agree with the others. It doesn't sound like a scam, but you do need to get a contact number and speak with mom and dad.

I had friends that imported a horse from Ireland to VA - sight unseen. Luckily, it worked out well for them. They also happened to be adults and not 13 y/o kids.

[beesknees]

Slight hijack but we went to a rib burn off recently and one of the places was from South Carolina. This guy behind us goes "Where's South Carolina at?" and his friend replies "I think it's near Georgia." :eek: We are in Ohio but still I would hope people know roughly where all 50 states are!

When I was up in Alaska I met a New Yorker who was confident that Alaska was by Hawaii...which both happened to be off the coast of California :no::cry: She also thought that I, being from Canada and all, must think that the weather in Alaska (maybe 10 degrees above feezing) was a nice warm break for me...you know, since I live up in the North Pole...when I tried to explain that I live fairly close to Maine she had no idea where it was...again, she's a New Yorker...you'd think she'd atleast know the eastern seaboard.

[Trees4U]

Well, she is 13 and negotiating the price. Now asking for a video (for her collection?) Since her check (purchase price) would be coming from her parent/guardian, I would move this conversation to the one who will be signing that check. Just to confirm everything is on the up & up.;)

[greysandbays]

It is near Georgia. It's also just south of North Carolina. :lol:

Heck, it's not hard to get out a map of the U.S. and look at the states.

I have a pretty good idea where most of 'em are located, just by memory from my public school edumacation. :D

Yeah, but you got your "public school edumacation" a LONG time ago.:p Nowadays, it boggles the mind what high school skate-throughs.... errrr ...."graduates" don't know.

Even if you know where everything is on a map, it's still hard to comprehend the distance when the whole country fits on a two-page spread of the atlas.

[dghunter]

:lol::lol: at all the other instances of people not knowing where states are! Unbelievable... It also makes me sad to think that in a couple years I will be responsible for teaching these kids :eek::cry: :winkgrin:

Anyways-yes South Carolina is by Georgia, but I totally felt like turning around and going "It's ABOVE North Carolina" :lol::lol:

[arabhorse2]

Even if you know where everything is on a map, it's still hard to comprehend the distance when the whole country fits on a two-page spread of the atlas.

True.

"Look Mom, Minnesota is only 5 INCHES from Maryland! It can't be THAT far!" :lol:

[beesknees]

It also makes me sad to think that in a couple years I will be responsible for teaching these

True.

"Look Mom, Minnesota is only 5 INCHES from Maryland! It can't be THAT far!" :lol:

Please do humanity a favor as a teacher and insist on using a map that shows all of North America (with Alaska properly attached off of Canada) and have the kids learn how to use the little map rulers at the bottom :lol:

[Whimsically Smart]

I probably sounded a lot like that when I called about my first horse at the age of 12. She has been with me for 6 years now and I just recently sold her to a new family at the barn.

[Sugarbrook]

I had a customer for a number of years. She always put her small daughter on the phone to make requests regarding the ponies she had at the farm, and I usually told her that I needed to speak to her mom.

I always tell whoever requests information that I will call them (or they can call me) and we will talk further. If they don't call, then I know its just a youngster entertaining themselves and wasting my time. Or a tire-kicker!!