Jason, Please respond

[Anonymous]

Hello Jason,

Macon at Cattle Today (Webmaster) suggested I talk with you, and participate in the Q&A more.

I am the one who put up the warning Alert For this Fraudulent Cattle Purchasing to go to South Africa. I was wondering if you had any news about it. The USDA was not able to help, but then I typed in Frank Obi, in several search engins, and wow what an eye opener, I had never tried that before, whoo, lots of interesting stuff,

I typed in lots of other stuff, such as the South African Department of Ag, South African Limousin Association, all these are real, and I sent e-mail to all of them with no responce as of yet, I am sure there wont be, what are your thoughts.

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

Anything that seems to good to be true usually is. Someone from overseas randomly picking you out to buy cattle from is a big red flag.

I have sold cattle to people I never met over the net, but it follows several questions, usually a phone call exchange. Enough info is exchanged to know if it is a real person you are dealing with.

I would never send cattle without a way to protect yourself. I have asked for half the money up front, and gotten it no problem from legitimate interests. I have also hauled the cattle myself and met the new owners. Shipping cattle overseas, I wouldn't move until the money was in trust with a laywer or broker.

I knew the stories circulating about Obi and ones like him supposedly being beaten and defrauded of their cattle were questionable, then when I got an e-mail outlining a way for him to buy foreign cattle to move money I didn't even read it. Delete is my most used key.

Barnum has been quoted by Dun here before, he said "There's a sucker born every minute". Sometimes a sucker is just a naieve kind person wanting to help.

Jason Trowbridge Southern Angus Farms Alberta Canada

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Michelle! I'm not Jason but here's my 2 cents worth. I too have received e-mails from some of these foreign "purchasers"...one offered $1,200 (no more) for calves.

Now, there are hundreds of legitimate buyers in the USA. Do not waste your time with these foreign inquiries..." (block sender and delete message ASAP"--avoid a virus). Any number of these if not all are scams, money laundering things, and all.

Even with a "legitimate offer" from a foreign prospect, consider international livestock laws, quarantine issues, legal and accounting issues with foreign sales, very expensive transportation costs (probably several times the value of an average priced livestock), health certifications, and all.

Bottomline...anyone would be money, time, and frustration ahead to take even a "good" animal to sale barn!

But, if anyone is intent on selling to one of these unsolicited inquiries...obtain a middleman funds depositor agent (in USA) that you trust, and have all funds certified US and in place with this third party, including the many Dept of Agriculture paperwork, and other restrictions that apply. Let the "big guys" have these deals...they can probably afford to lose a few thousand $$...

 

[Anonymous]

I thank you for your input,

I received payment in full for a list of aniamls, then within 24 hours a sad line about other cattle being held at port in poor condition, and a request to send some of the funds back via Western Union to Nigeria, being the trusting person I am, I said OK, well a smart Western Union person caught it, stopped it, and sent me back to retrieve the funds. Thank goodness!

Well this person Frank Obi, threw a fit over the phone when I said I would not send the money anywhere, and that the funds were going to be held for several weeks in the bank for varification, and nothing could make me do otherwise.

Low and behold, have not heard or gotten an e-mail from him since that conversation this morning.

In that conversation, he said he would report me, I said "I am sure that is just what you need to do" go ahead.

So watch out, everyone.

I did follow all the procedural stuff or at least started but was doubtful.

Glad to get input from Ya'll.

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

The $1200. was the max amount requested for the calves in my group.

What I determined was that this individual did not care what color, type, etc. the cattle are just a cover.

When looking at the cattle industry today and the number of middle men that take money away from the producer, this sounded like a middleman wanting to export cattle at the cheapest price, so that they could turn them for a profit out of country. $1200 for a calf would do that, you would probably have another $1000 in them or less with vet/export fee/import permit, then turn them for $3-4000 and what a tidy profit they make. Not a bad deal if it was real and not a scam.

[email protected]

 

[Anonymous]

There was/is a similar scam going aroound with draft horses. They buy them at a pecified price, then you take most of the money and send them back a small commision. Turns out the funds you got paid with aren't legit but it takes weeks to find that out.

dun

> The $1200. was the max amount
> requested for the calves in my
> group.

> What I determined was that this
> individual did not care what
> color, type, etc. the cattle are
> just a cover.

> When looking at the cattle
> industry today and the number of
> middle men that take money away
> from the producer, this sounded
> like a middleman wanting to export
> cattle at the cheapest price, so
> that they could turn them for a
> profit out of country. $1200 for a
> calf would do that, you would
> probably have another $1000 in
> them or less with vet/export
> fee/import permit, then turn them
> for $3-4000 and what a tidy profit
> they make. Not a bad deal if it
> was real and not a scam.

 

[Anonymous]

I've gotton these emails ever since I posted here. I don't fault cattletoday, it's just the internet.

I read the first one, figured it was some sort of scam and continue to delete them. The names change, but the story is the same. I hit delete.

 

[Anonymous]

The Nigerian Scam: (and similar foreign solicitations): best procedure--"block sender", then "delete message"...then, "delete" your deleted messages.

PT Barnum was a smart cookie! Not to mention a clever, con artist...lol...