Farmers and machinery dealers are being warned of an online machinery scam, where potential buyers could be scammed of thousands of euro and never see the machine they paid for.

The machines are advertised on a buy-and-sell website at half their market value and bring the user to another website to make the purchase.

Furthermore, a buyer can’t walk into the yard to view any of the machines – viewing has to be arranged by appointment only.

A comparison of the images on the alleged fraudulent website to legitimate machinery dealer websites found that the images were the exact same, with machinery dealers having no idea of the scam that was going on.

One machinery dealer, based in the UK, had no idea that its tractors were on the website, while another said he was aware of the scam but that the relevant authorities in the UK were doing nothing about it.

The machinery is typically advertised in Co Dublin and is priced in sterling in most, but not all, cases.

Market value

The site offers machinery at prices around half the market value, including a 2003 John Deere 6920 worth €20,000, advertised at £9,000, and a 2009 Fusion 2 baler/wrapper worth close to €30,000 advertised at £12,500.

When contacted by phone to arrange a viewing of a number of the machines, the person on the receiving line for the website said that an email would have to be sent to arrange such a viewing.

Following this advice, an email was sent with the hope of arranging a viewing of a number of machines.

In response, the company said: “Yes, we can set up an appointment but we can’t guarantee for your [sic] that the machin [sic] will be still available on the date of appointment.”

The Irish Farmers Journal has replied and is awaiting a response.

‘Too good to be true’

Legitimate machinery dealers such as Kelly’s of Kilkenny have reported the adverts to the host site, which has then removed them only for the adverts to reappear within days or weeks.

The prices are just too good to be true

“We would encourage farmers to stick to their local FTMTA machinery dealer," warned salesman Clive Moyhan from Kellys.

Another potential buyer told the Irish Farmers Journal that a prospective buyer lodges the money into an account and that the seller promises delivery within 14 days.

“But the machine never lands and the money is gone. There could be a few people around the country who would be duped into this.

“A farmer picks their tractor out online, lodges the money and the machine is to ‘issue’ from the depot. You can’t actually walk into the yard to see the machines.”

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