Katharina Buczek
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently issued a warning to ranchers in the Great Plains and West.
Apparently, rising inflation has made these livestock owners the target of scams.
The cost of livestock feed has skyrocketed. And this fact, coupled with the widespread drought out west, has created a “fertile field” for scammers to prey on ranchers.
“In Montana, authorities are warning ranchers to treat with suspicion ads offering cattle feed at below-market prices,” the FTC wrote.
Ranchers have reported paying seemingly-real feed dealers for things like wheat straw, barley straw, and grain hay.
But, these scammers are requiring large up-front payments, and the ranchers are not receiving their goods.
The Montana state Office of Consumer Protection has received alarming reported losses as high as one hundred and twenty thousand dollars.
Moreover, officials are warning ranchers to be weary of seemingly-real low-cost feed advertisements in agricultural publications, on radio, and on social media.
“Dishonest sellers may also create professional-looking websites and videos to convince you that they are legitimate,” the FTC warned.
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