A man and a woman called the Newcastle Pacer last Thursday after hearing about the story published concerning Newcastle Hay and Equipment.
The company name was being used for a scam which involves selling farm equipment.
The callers, Phillip and Mary Dupree of Michigan, said they had tried to purchase a 2018 John Deere 5065E tractor from an advertisement on Facebook Marketplace. They paid for the tractor, but never received it.
The Duprees said the scammers continued talking with them, making up stories about the tractor and its delivery in order to buy time.
The Duprees said the tractor price was $9,457, and explained that it was a “pretty good price.” The scammers told them they had gotten the tractor off an auction at an estate sale.
To make sure all was above board, the Duprees asked their local police department in Michigan to call. Mary said the police called the scammers’ number to verify employment, and one of the scammers talked with them, answering their questions. She said police also called Wells-Fargo Bank to verify the account, and were told it was a good account.
The Duprees made a bank wire from bank to bank, but now the money is gone and they don’t have a tractor. They called back the scammers and were told the delivery truck had broken down. They said this must also have been them trying to buy time.
The Duprees called the Newcastle Police Department, and were told there is no company by the name of Newcastle Hay and Equipment, and that there is a scam going on. The Duprees have now filed a police report in Michigan, and they have contacted the FBI and the Federal Trade Commission.
They have also asked their bank for a refund, but do not know if they will receive one, or not. The Duprees are staying in contact with the fraud department at their bank.
Mary said, “I would feel terrible if this happens to someone else.”
