Fraud Alert

[HorseMom]

If he's doing this with the minis, he's probably doing this with the standard horses that he has listed. The QH mare that he has listed has Impressive and Poco lines. Maybe someone should contact the AQHA as well.

Heather

 

[Flatbroke Farms]

Sorry, this is more than just a SIM game because he's got ads posted on various sales websites such as EquineNow and DreamHorse. That definitely crosses the line and makes it blatant fraud to me.

And to capture the page you can probably go up to File... Save As... and save each webpage onto your computer. Or you can use a photo program like PaintShop Pro and capture a screen image of it.

 

[DrivinTime]

Yikes, I agree this is more serious than just a kids' game... (And if it IS a kid, somebody needs to have a talk with him real soon!)

To copy photos from a website, all you need to do is right-click on the photo, then click Save Image As... so it's not hard to steal images from websites.

If you need to make copies of pages or part of a page, for "evidence," an easy way to do that is: Open your browser window to show just what you want to copy, then click ALT PrintScreen (or ALT PrtScrn) and then paste that into a Word or other word processing document. That way, you don't have to have a paint program.

I hope that the person who has created this fraudulent website is stopped, soon. It's not an okay "game" if others are being hurt, IMHO.

 

[mininik]

I know that Mail Fraud is the FBI's business, Laura. I also know that we have nothing here except a free website, some free ads, a couple Emails and speculation. I am not saying to leave whoever this is alone, I'm saying some kids just don't know when to quit and I don't think that's the FBI's business UNLESS there is actual money involved. Has anyone even called the local police yet? What is nuts to me is it seems everyone has been contacted, except the proper authorities.

 

[Flaxenacres]

I cant find the quarter horses he has for sale. But if someone can email me the names I can look them up to see who owns them.

 

[HGFarm]

Yes, including him because Olney Farm, whose stallion has another ones name put on it, that by the way is a real name owned by someone else back east, just called me and they read the comments to me that folks have now posted in his guestbook, letting him know everyone is aware of the fraud!!

WHY WOULD PEOPLE DO THAT and ruin any chance of an investigation?? We can only ASSUME this person is a kid! Criminals dont get caught when they are tipped off!

Even if he has not received a payment on something he has advertised for sale, it appears as an 'intent' to defraud or deceive....

 

[muffntuf]

But an intent to defraud is a good talking to by some local authorities and that would scare a kid hopefully.

 

[muffntuf]

I wonder if MR. cody was doing this for a class at Mars Hill Technical College in VA?

 

[Bailey@SmallWonders]

As far as copying the website before it disappears, can anyone tell me how I go about saving a copy of it on my computer? I know I can print it but want to have a digital copy as well.

To save a copy of the website to your computer is pretty easy. All you need to do is go to the site you want to save then on the upper left side of your browser window click file, select "save as" from the drop down menu. A box will open so that you can choose the location to save to and name it. Make sure where it says " Save as type:" you choose Webpage,complete from the drop down list so that it saves all the pictures as well as the text.

P.S. You need to do this for EVERY page home, mares, stallions, etc...it won't save the whole site with just 1 click.

 

[HGFarm]

They are not going to talk to anyone if the ads are removed and the site removed because they are tipped off now.....

 

[minihorsefrnd]

The mini's have been removed from equinenow all except for one. I bet he is fixing to bring down the webpage also.

Hope everyone got their copies made.

 

[tagalong]

I know that Mail Fraud is the FBI's business, Laura. I also know that we have nothing here except a free website, some free ads, a couple Emails and speculation. I am not saying to leave whoever this is alone, I'm saying some kids just don't know when to quit and I don't think that's the FBI's business UNLESS there is actual money involved. Has anyone even called the local police yet? What is nuts to me is it seems everyone has been contacted, except the proper authorities.

Agreed, mininik... and it does feel like a SIM game run amok.

No - I doubt if those Nigerian-type scam emails are involved - and yes, people can share the same name without it being identity theft and the FBI being involved. I think we need to tread a little carefully here - and be careful with what we are saying and what accusations we are making - especially as the kid may be a minor.

It is one thing to check things out, get the website changed/shut down and address the problem - and quite another to make accusations based on sheer speculation that we have no way of proving...

 

[HGFarm]

Well one thing I AM sure of, NOONE asked the neighbors permission to use any picture of their stallion, or to put his picture on their site and advertise him at stud, under another name!! No one allowed someone else to ficticiously allow their horses to be advertised for sale on real websites either, and act like they truly were for sale at a set price when they dont even own them, etc......

 

[ClickMini]

If they are advertising on sale sites, it doesn't seem like it would be a kid in a sim game. Because as far as I know, it costs money to put an ad on Dreamhorse at least. Not sure about the equinenow site.

 

[Riverdance]

AS I mentioned before, he was also advertised on Miniature Horse Farms Directory and it would have cost him at least $100 or more for the ad he has there.

Does not seem like he was just playing. besides, was he not negotiating with a buyer on one of his non- exhistent horses?

 

[tagalong]

AS I mentioned before, he was also advertised on Miniature Horse Farms Directory and it would have cost him at least $100 or more for the ad he has there.

Does not seem like he was just playing. besides, was he not negotiating with a buyer on one of his non- eshistant horses?

If you reread my post - I said a SIM game run amok. As in off the rails. Over the top. Out of control. No longer a game. And so on....

And I still think we need to be careful about what kind of accusations we are slinging around. We can deal with the issues without making things into a bigger mess based on nothing more than speculation...

 

[RedWagon]

Whether it is a game run amok or not, what this person is doing is copyright infringement and, at the very least, intent to commit fraud. Fraud is defined to be "an intentional perversion of truth" or a "false misrepresentation of a matter of fact" which induces another person to "part with some valuable thing belonging to him or to surrender a legal right". Once again, game or not, advertising another person's property for sale as your own certainly smacks of fraud. I also don't think anyone is throwing baseless accusations around--the ads & website are there for all to see. As far as contacting the proper authorities, didn't Cary say he was doing that today? Yes, he also he contacted other people involved, but I think that was the proper thing to do. Good luck to all involved.

 

[horsedude]

Again I appreciate everyones help and input.

I kindly ask that people do not post any more replies on this websites guest book. As it was mentioned, if the website disappears, it will not be properly dealt with by the authorities. And in a few months the same thing will be happening to someone else. Martha and I are working on this, as well as Liz. We are trying to find out what steps we can take, but it must be done the proper way. I have filed an online complaint with the webhost as well.

I also ask that no more people call, or email this individual. The proper authorities can deal with the individual, whether a child or adult, in the US or Over Seas.

I strongly beleive this is a over zealous youth who is a "wanna be". However, no matter the circumstances it has been taken too far. I only came to Lil Beginnings to post this to make everyone aware of the situation, incase anyone has been conducting business with this individual, as well as try to find out if anyone knows anything about this person. I know how far and fast word travels in our miniature horse community, and if this child is indeed someone who wanted to have a future in the miniature horse business, I think he just shot himself in the foot and made the wrong person mad!!!

With that said I again thank you for all of your help and input and I will certainly keep everyone posted on the progress we make.

I do ask that if anyone has links to other adds this individual is placing on any other "For Sale" sites that they could please PM me those links, as well as if you have had any dealings with this individual to forward them on to me, as this is all information that the authorities should have. I simply do not have the time to search the web for all of these adds. Thanks alot. Cary, Ventura Miniatures

 

[muffntuf]

I wonder if MR. cody was doing this for a class at Mars Hill Technical College in VA?

I humbly disagree about this guy being a youth as I found Cody registered at Mars Hill Technical College in 2006 playing baseball in Virginia close to where they say they live. I have called his cell phone and it sounds like an early 20's something guy.

 

[MiniforFaith]

I was just going to look at the web page for the first time and it is gone

I sure hope that everyone got what they needed before they pulled it.. Sounds like everyone jumped the gun to much with Mr. Cody. I hope that he can still be traced..