Most horse-sale fraud follows a few patterns. None alone proves a scam, but treat them as stop signs.
Common scams
- Photo theft — the same photos appear on other listings (reverse-image-search them)
- Deposit scams — pressure to wire a deposit to “hold” a horse you haven’t seen
- Bait-and-switch — the horse that arrives isn’t the one advertised
- Off-platform pivot — the seller pushes you to WhatsApp or email straight away
Protect yourself
- Ask for a short selfie video of the horse with today’s date written on paper
- Never send deposits by bank transfer or gift card
- See the horse in person before any money changes hands
- Be wary of prices well below market for the breed, age, and level
Looking at a listing right now?
Stirrup flags the wording, pricing, and gaps in seconds.
Scan the listing you’re looking at →