It's SCAMMER season! This time of year the scams are plentiful. I see it and hear it all the time....people questioning if "Beautiful Boer Goats" is a legit breeder or if "Chickens in the USA" has the quality they say they do. The knee-jerk response is generally "if they ask for a deposit, it's a SCAM!!" So let me go over some points to help you determine if you are talking to a legit breeder or if they are in fact a scam artist.
First, let's start off with the photos....If the poster is using stock photos, it's a scam. If the backgrounds in the photos are all of different terrain (mountains in one, corn fields in another and pine trees in the next), another red flag is if they are showing photos in terrain that isn't the area the say their from (you see mountains in the background and they say they are from Indiana for example, or cactus and tumbleweed in Michigan - clearly those photos aren't theirs)
If the person posting seems to have every breed or the species you're looking for - like, looking for a Boer, or a Nigerian, or a Nubian - oh, you need Sumatra and Silkie Chickens? We've got what you want! - Probably a scam. If they ask for a delivery or shipping fee up front. Scam. Language seems off? Scam. Can't or won't answer basic questions about the breeds or animals? Scam. Prices half or less than what most other breeders are charging? Scam. No pictures of the types of animals they are selling on their profile? Scam. Profile with short or limited history. Scam. Private/locked profile? - Probably a scam. (Dig a little deeper, friend them, check their profile out...however most folks selling either have public profiles or a farm/business page that is public, so it's definitely a flag if you can't see their history). Look at their page - have legit people commented on their posts with good reviews? Or do you see a lot of "angry faces" on their posts? Look at their friends list - are there are lot of "friends" that have questionable profiles, or out of country profiles? If yes, walk away.
Now, let's get to the big scary word....the one that people swear means someone is out to scam them. DEPOSIT. Just to be clear, someone asking for a deposit, does not mean they're a scammer. However, LOTS of folks who ask for a deposit are - so how do you know how to tell the honest from the scammer? Well, let me explain - I require a deposit to hold an animal, not because I plan on scamming you, but because I've had too many people say they want xyz, only to ghost me and back out. Or, they say they are coming on Thursday, only to have to reschedule 3 times before they actually show up. Meanwhile, I've taken that animal off the market and missed opportunities to sell to someone else. This has happened MANY times over the years. So, to stop people from wasting my time and causing missed sales, it's now it's the same for everyone. Anything I have available is on available for anyone until I have $$ in hand. The difference is, I won't be pushy about it, and I will encourage you to come and see what I have in person. I will also explain that you don't have to put a deposit down if you don't want to, but I also can't guarantee they will be available when you're ready. I also won't push for a "delivery fee" or a "shipping" charge up front. In fact, I won't even really discuss pick up or transport until the sale is final, except maybe to answer your questions about the options available. I just honestly got tired of dealing with tire kickers and people who weren't respectful of my time. I'm too old to deal with that any longer.
Take this for what it is....I've been doing this a long time and the only thing that hasn't changed is that it's up to the buyer to do their research that they are dealing with a legitimate person and not a scam artist. Please be careful out there and remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.