BEWARE CRUEL CON; Sob story fails to trick buyer.

Byline: LOUISA RILEY

MOST people are aware of internet and phone scams involving requests for bank details from abroad, but now a new scam has emerged targeting horse owners.

Examiner reader Lesley McKay saw an advert on a horse website advertising a Friesian gelding available to adopt for pounds 400.

The horse was described as a good all rounder, safe, sound and sensible and looking for a good home.

Intrigued, Lesley emailed the seller and got an extremely sad email back explaining the owner, a pastor from the Shetland Isles, had lost his daughter in a car accident three months earlier and the horse belonged to her.

According to the email, the pastor wanted to give the horse away for a nominal fee plus the cost of transport.

Lesley explained: "I was moved by the story and I thought, 'wow this is too good to be true!' After a few more emails were exchanged, including one with a supposed copy of the horse's passport, Lesley rang the seller.

She spoke to a man who claimed he was from Holland, but had a Caribbean accent, and said he would be arranging transport.

As the horse was in the Shetland Isles, it was too far to visit first so the horse had to be sold unseen.

Lesley then received another phone call from a different Caribbean man and an email from Rollings Pet Cargo, telling her all about the delivery details and costs.

They requested a pounds 500 Moneygram to cover the initial transportation costs. They wanted this payment immediately as they said they would send the horse the next day but the details for the payment were for a company in Cameroon!

Lesley, by this time, was extremely suspicious, so requested the Livery Yard contact details and the name of a local vet so she could get the horse checked before transportation.

She never heard anything back.

Lesley says: "This is a despicable scam aimed at us softie horse owners. The emails were so well written and the story was really sad. The photos looked genuine too."

Although buyers usually take every precaution when buying a horse, don't let a low price override your usual instincts.

If the sale is genuine, the owner will be happy to answer any questions and let a vet check the horse. Never send bank details or money beforehand.

As Lesley found out, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!