Buyer & Seller Safety

A Price That Doesn't Make Sense

Be cautious when a desirable or valuable horse is advertised dramatically below what comparable horses would normally sell for.

Scammers sometimes create urgency around an unbelievable deal using explanations such as:

• Owner suddenly relocated
• Divorce
• Military deployment
• Family emergency
• Horse must leave immediately
• Free horse with transportation fee
• Expensive horse offered for a small "rehoming fee"

There may be legitimate reasons for an unusually low price, but an extraordinary bargain deserves more verification, not less.

The Seller Wants a Deposit Immediately

Be cautious if you're pressured to send a deposit before you have had a reasonable opportunity to verify the horse and seller.

Common pressure tactics include:

• "Someone else is sending a deposit tonight."
• "I can't hold him without payment."
• "You have to decide in the next hour."
• "Several people are on their way."
• "The transporter is already scheduled."

A legitimate seller may reasonably require a deposit to hold a horse, but buyers should understand exactly who is receiving the money and what the written deposit terms are before sending it.

Stolen and Cloned Horse Listings

Scammers can copy legitimate:

• Horse photographs
• Videos
• Descriptions
• Pedigrees
• Show records
• Farm logos
• Seller biographies
• Social-media content

and create an entirely fake horse listing.

A professional-looking listing does not prove that the seller owns or controls the horse.

AI-Generated and Digitally Altered Content

Modern artificial intelligence makes it increasingly easy to create or alter photographs, voices, documents, websites, and videos.

Do not assume that a professional-looking photograph or video proves that a horse exists or looks exactly as represented.

Image editing alone does not establish fraud. Legitimate sellers may edit photographs for normal photographic purposes.

Buyers should instead consider the entire transaction and independently verify the horse.

For significant purchases, consider:

• Live video
• In-person inspection
• Independent veterinarian
• Registration records
• Competition records
• Breed-association records
• References

Pre-Purchase Examinations

Consider an independent pre-purchase examination appropriate for the intended use and value of the horse.

Ideally, the buyer should select the veterinarian.

Consider discussing:

• Intended use
• Examination scope
• Imaging
• Additional diagnostics
• Known medical information
• Limitations of the examination

A pre-purchase examination is not a guarantee of future health, soundness, or performance.

Verify Registration, Pedigree and Competition Records

When relevant, independently verify:

• Registered name
• Registration number
• Age
• Pedigree
• Ownership
• Competition history
• Earnings
• Breed
• Show results

Do not rely exclusively on screenshots or documents sent by the seller when records can be independently checked.

Before sending significant money, research the person or business.

Consider verifying:

• Full name
• Business or barn name
• Phone number
• Email address
• Website
• Social-media history
• References
• Competition history
• Breed-association records
• Professional affiliations where applicable

A new social-media account deserves additional scrutiny.

An established account is not absolute proof of identity because legitimate email and social-media accounts can be compromised.

Verify References Independently

A fraudulent seller can provide the telephone number of an accomplice pretending to be a:

• Veterinarian
• Trainer
• Farrier
• Previous buyer
• Agent
• Transporter

Whenever possible, independently locate the professional or business and contact them through information you found yourself.

If someone says:

"Call Dr. Smith. She's my veterinarian."

consider independently finding the veterinary practice and calling its publicly listed number rather than automatically using the number supplied by the seller.

Payment Red Flags

Use extra caution when someone insists that payment can only be made using:

• Cryptocurrency
• Gift cards
• Wire-transfer services
• Cash
• Payment apps
• Unfamiliar payment websites

Bank wires are commonly used in legitimate high-value transactions. The danger is sending an irreversible payment before independently verifying the recipient and transaction.

Changed Payment Instructions

Email accounts can be compromised, and criminals may insert themselves into legitimate transactions.

Before sending significant funds, independently verify:

• Recipient
• Bank
• Account instructions
• Reason for any change

Do not rely solely on the email or text that announced the change.

Fake Checks and Overpayments

A supposed buyer agrees to buy the horse and sends a check for more than the agreed price.

Then they ask the seller to send the extra money to a:

• Transporter
• Agent
• Insurance company
• Third party

A check appearing in a bank account does not necessarily mean it is legitimate.

Buyers Who Don't Care About the Horse

Sellers should use caution when someone immediately agrees to purchase without asking normal questions.

Red flags include:

• No questions about temperament
• No questions about health
• No questions about training
• No questions about location
• No interest in photos or video
• Immediately agrees to asking price
• Offers more than asking price
• Talks mostly about payment and shipping

Keep Early Conversations on Black Horse Market

Legitimate transactions will often eventually involve telephone calls, texts, visits, veterinarians, and other direct communication.

Be cautious when someone immediately insists on moving the conversation away from Black Horse Market before discussing the horse.

Keeping early communications within Black Horse Market may make suspicious activity easier for us to investigate.

Sellers: Be Accurate

Safety is not limited to protecting against fake buyers.

Sellers should accurately represent horses. Do not intentionally misrepresent:

• Age
• Height
• Breed
• Registration
• Competition record
• Training level
• Temperament
• Health history
• Soundness
• Behavioral history
• Ownership
• Location
• Photos
• Videos

What "Verified" Means

We intend to have Verified seller profiles.

A Black Horse Market verification badge means only what Black Horse Market specifically says was verified. It does not automatically mean:

• Black Horse Market guarantees the seller
• Black Horse Market guarantees the horse
• Horse has passed a veterinary inspection
• Horse is sound
• Horse has a particular temperament
• Seller owns every horse listed
• Transaction is guaranteed

Buyers are still responsible for their own due diligence.

Protect Your Account

Black Horse Market will never ask users to send their password through:

• Email
• Text
• Marketplace message
• Social media
• Telephone

Users should never give another user their:

• Password
• Login credentials
• Verification codes
• Authentication codes
• Password-reset links
• Complete banking information

Watch for Fake Black Horse Market Messages

Common scam messages to watch for:

Instead of clicking a link in a suspicious message, navigate directly to BlackHorse.Market and check your account.

Do Not Trust Caller ID Alone

Telephone numbers can be spoofed.

A familiar area code or business name appearing on caller ID is not proof of identity.

If someone calls claiming to represent a company and asks for sensitive information or payment, independently locate the company's official contact information.

If You Think You've Been Scammed

Act quickly.

Contact the:

• Bank
• Card issuer
• Payment app
• Wire-transfer provider
• Financial institution involved

Tell them you believe the transaction may be fraudulent and ask whether it can be:

• Stopped
• Recalled
• Disputed
• Reversed

For United States users, additional reporting resources are available: