'Be aware when you're buying hay': Online hay sale scams on the rise
Last month when Eric Boot, owner of Boot Hay Farms, learned someone was impersonating his business online, he was surprised.
But then it began to make more sense.
"About a month ago, I got a call from a lady that was out of Vancouver Island and she mentioned that she had hay coming from our operation. It kind of puzzled me because I knew we hadn't done any business there," Boot said.
"And she proceeded to explain she'd seen it on Facebook."
The woman made a down payment of $800 before receiving multiple calls asking for more money.
Once she got suspicious, she reached out to the real Boot Hay Farms and discovered she'd been scammed.
Recently, the Redcliff RCMP put out an alert for a similar scam happening in the Medicine Hat and Cypress county area.
A Facebook user by the name of "Maxwell Jakes" had been posting ads to Facebook saying they have bales of hay and straw available.
But once the buyer sends money through an e-transfer, no hay is ever delivered.
"It seems to be ramping up in the last year or two, especially with the use of the internet and people being able to transfer money electronically."
Recent years of drought have led to a shortage of hay and in turn has made farmers more desperate than ever for it.
Scammers know this and have been taking full advantage.
"I guess there's always a certain amount of it that happens every year and people have to be aware when you're buying hay or even selling hay … (of) people not delivering the hay after getting paid," said Lynn Jacobson, Alberta Federation of Agriculture president.
With the ongoing shortage, there's no telling just how long these scams will continue.
Farmers and anyone else buying hay will have to be cautious with any business they do online.
Simple things like only dealing with people you know and not paying for the hay until it's on your property can help lessen the risk of being scammed.
"There's common sense things that people can do. And one of the things is you want to inspect that hay and you want to have it on your yard before you make payments," Jacobson said.
If you have been scammed in an online hay sale or have any information about a scam, you can contact the RCMP or Crime Stoppers.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10,000 Zantac lawsuits in U.S.: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Watch fighter jet pilots pummel fake enemy ship off coast of Philippines
The United States and Philippines held annual joint-training drills just off the Southeast Asian nation’s western coast on Wednesday. Military forces sunk a 'mock' enemy warship – the BRP Lake Caliraya, which was a decommissioned tanker made in China.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his head more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs to start for Canucks in Game 1 vs. Oilers
Rookie goalie Arturs Silovs will start in net for the Canucks as Vancouver kicks off a second-round series against the Edmonton Oilers Wednesday night.