Georgia Department of Agriculture, Bulloch County farmer urge caution as online farm equipment scams rise

BULLOCH COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) — The Georgia Department of Agriculture is warning farmers to be cautious when shopping online for farm equipment after receiving multiple reports of sophisticated scams targeting the agricultural community.

State agriculture officials say scammers are using artificial intelligence, convincing websites and online advertisements that appear to represent legitimate farm equipment dealerships. In many cases, victims send money for equipment that never arrives, and officials say those funds are often difficult or impossible to recover.

The warning comes as farmers continue to face high equipment costs, making discounted online listings especially appealing.

“Farming is not cheap,” said Bulloch County farmer Wade Hodges. “The equipment’s expensive. Everything you buy is expensive.”

Hodges, who has farmed for decades, said he knows people who have fallen victim to online scams while searching for equipment.

“If something is too good to be true, you better leave it alone,” Hodges said. “Some people will buy stuff online. I’m not knocking online stuff.”

He said unusually low prices should be an immediate warning sign.

“If you’ve got a $100,000 tractor and it’s $30,000, you need to pay attention,” Hodges said. “You know something ain’t right.”

To help farmers avoid becoming victims, the Georgia Department of Agriculture recommends verifying dealerships by independently locating their official phone number and contacting the business directly. Officials also advise buyers to be cautious of requests to wire money or send electronic payments to unfamiliar accounts and to discuss large online purchases with their financial institution before transferring funds.

Whenever possible, the department encourages buyers to visit dealerships in person, inspect equipment themselves and complete transactions using secure payment methods such as a cashier’s check.

Hodges said that’s the approach he follows.

“It’s good to go see this,” he said. “A lot of people buy stuff sight unseen, and I think that’s where these people are coming up. They say, ‘We’re going to ship it to you Monday. Get the funds to me,’ and you never see the equipment.”

Anyone who believes they have been the victim of a farm equipment scam should contact local law enforcement, their financial institution or the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Law Enforcement Division.