Isle of Wight farms hit by fake machinery scam
People are travelling to the island to pick up items bought online, only to find out they don't exist
Police are urging farmers to be on their guard following reports of a fraud which sees victims travelling to the Isle of Wight to pick up pieces of machinery - only to find they don't actually exist.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police is warning of scammers using farms on the island as a front to sell items via online marketplaces, often at high prices.
Victims, upon paying the money, are then given the address of real Isle of Wight farmers from which to collect the items offered.
They are then arriving to find no such equipment exists and they have been scammed.
Police said the crime is also exploiting the owners of the farms from which the purported items are being collected.
They have no knowledge of the scam and who are then left in a vulnerable situation in which they are confronted by confused, upset and disgruntled victims of crime.
A Hampshire and Isle of Wight Police spokesperson said:
"The most recent incident, reported to police on January 21st this year, has seen victims travel from Devon and as far as Scotland to a farm on the Isle of Wight to collect farming goods that they believe they have purchased.
"In other scenarios in the past, some victims have been promised to have the equipment delivered to them, but the goods never turn up and the ‘seller’ then disengages from all contact.
"Our advice to members of the farming community is to be wary of this type of fraud and trust your instincts - if something appears too good to be true, it probably is."
Farmers are also being encouraged to consider the following:
- View the machinery in person first and ask for the registration and/or V5 document before handing over any money.
- Find out as much as possible about the seller; ask them about the history of the machinery and their business
- Request scans of the registration document and do some research on the item – consider phoning the previous owner or the DVLA
- Check that the engine number still correlates with the logbook
- Do an online HPI check to ensure there is no outstanding finance
A full security guide for farmers on how to protect themselves from fraud can be found here.
Farmers who find themselves in a situation where they are confronted by a disgruntled victim of a scam are asked to remove themselves from the situation and, if they feel threatened or in danger, to ring 999 immediately.
Anyone who has been a victim of fraud is urged to contact Action Fraud in the first instance, either by calling 0300 123 2040, or online.