Scam or just a youth??? UPDATED w/ more emails

[sfmini]

Did you ever think that the kid could have dyslexia? And that watching means mama is in the same room?

There is nothing lost if you just go along and insist that the parents call and just see what happens.

No loss, no foul.

 

[~Lisa~]

There is a million reasons for those emails and most are not sinister. Most scammers do not waste time asking questions and requesting pictures in email after email and they discuss payment pretty quick.

Maybe it is a kid whose parents will not let her get a horse and she is just a fellow horse lover dreaming... could very well be a kid who could use a horsey mentor I am not saying to not proceed with caution but have to agree with sfmini..

 

[HGFarm]

Pretty difficult to tell, but I hope if its a kid, they stay in school for a while and repeat Spelling 101!! I had someone contact me also, claiming to be a youth, and 'she and her cousin' wanted a Mini. I sent her a nice response or two, but then when she was told I would need to deal with her parents, never heard another word. Never really figured out if it was a kid (though the spelling was MUCH better than this!) or a scam.......

Not only could this person be dyslexic (I have a nephew that is, and it makes life extremely difficult) but it's possible they are also hearing impaired. I've noticed there is a tendancy to spell or speak according to what they hear, and if things are missing or not real distinct, that's what you get.

 

[Littleum]

Did you ever think that the kid could have dyslexia?

Sure, I thought it.

I just work with dyslexic folks and you'd never know they were. They just put in a little more effort to work around it. I'm so impressed with them I am considerably less impressed by people who use it as an excuse.

 

[Annabellarose]

I am pleased to hear (well, read

) that there are still sellers out there that consider that initial contact from a child could end with a legitimate sale. I have been buying horses since I was 13. I contacted the seller about the horse (it was only telephone back in them thar' days), I got all of the details about the horse, I scheduled an appointment to see the horse in person, and I even got the driving directions to the horse's/seller's location. I did everything except earn and pay the money. I still remember the people that treated me with respect and I still remember the people that treated me like a silly or stupid child.

 

[Littleum]

Name: ALYX REILLYUPDATE: This person just emailed me back and told me she is 10 yrs old. What should I do with out hurting her feelings? I never had a young youth contact me about a horse before.

Tell her that her parents should call you so the grown-ups can talk.

Leave it at that.

 

[Genie]

XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

On a reverse lookup the phone number is legit and her location is above.

 

[~Lisa~]

wow Iam not sure I would want to put her phone number and address up on this board...

Posting personal information of a child is not a way to get new people interested in minis...

I am not sure why it is a problem? She may be to young to purchase now- maybe her parents do not know she is doing this. Maybe she is just a horse crazy kid dreaming.. and maybe just maybe .. even if not now in a few months or a year she would be in a position to purchase with her parents

 

[Kim]

wow Iam not sure I would want to put her phone number and address up on this board...

Yes, I already PM'd the moderators and the person who started the topic... PLEASE take off the identifying information of this 9 year old girl. Her full name, phone number, email address, birthday, and hometown are on page 1 at the top and her address and phone number are a couple posts above this one. Sexual predation is rampant on the internet. Could whoever sees this first PLEASE remove this information asap!!

 

[Lil' Horse Lover]

I had something like this happen earlier this spring. I had a young girl (close to that age) email me about a Quarter Pony mare we were selling, she asked the same questions pretty much and I answered them from her but had to tell her that I wasn't going to go on anymore until I talked to one of her parents. Well she ended up emailing me pretending to be one of her parents (it was SO obvious to me it wasn't) and so I ended up emailing her back and telling her that I knew it wasn't really her parents that emailed me and that she shouldn't do that. She responded back and said she was sorry and I just told her that it was okay just dont do it again and that I couldn't sell my horse to her unless I knew her parents were involved and that I would have to have them call me if they were interested. She said she understood and that was all I heard from her. Sad, as she really seemed desperate to get a horse but at the same time I didn't want her to go on thinking she was going to get my horse.

 

[MindyLee]

It's 5:30 pm and I just got home and seen my emails regarding this... SORRY for posting her info BUT my thing was that I was'nt sure if it was a real 9 or 10 yr old OR a scam. I did'nt mean for it to look like what everyone is making it out to be. Im suprized at how some of you can turn things all around like that. I personally am starting to think it is a scam and only wanted others input & if others had recieved the same email. I only posted this to see if others may reconize it if they got the same one (which it sounds like someone did).

Anyway, I have'nt heard from her "mummy" yet so this is why I am starting to think its a scam. Also never gave me any other info about them and their experiances with horse or answer any of the direct questions I have asked. Also the emails have stoped so thinking that they moved on and are going to do the same to someone else. If so I would like to know about it as something is just not right and a little fishy about this. Was hoping it was real as I would love to see a little boy or girl own my little mini. BUT OH -WELL.

 

[Katiean]

Maybe this "KID" sent the same letter out just changing who they sent it to. Maybe mum really doesn't know what she is doing. Personally I do not let the 12 year old on the computer unless I know where she is looking. I also do not allow email accounts for the kids. Some one should be watching this one if she is 10.

 

[Minimor]

It really didn't/doesn't sound like a scam to me. Just a kid that happens to be an atrocious speller (and they are out there, both kids and some that are a little older than kids!!)--she wants a horse and so is e-mailing people, and probably using the same message for more than one person--her mother may not be aware of what she's writing, and the family may not be in the position to get or keep a horse. If that's the case, of course the e-mails are going to stop once you've told her that you must talk to her mother before you can make any plans to sell a horse to her.

I see nothing at all in the messages posted to indicate this is a scam; it's nothing at all like the usual scam messages, and there's nothing that indicates any intent to scam you.

 

[The Dynamic Duo]

Just so you know, this is not me!

I'm not sure. I had my sister go through and spell some of these words and to me it seems like someone's just trying too hard to seem like a kid.

 

[ohmt]

SORRY for posting her info BUT my thing was that I was'nt sure if it was a real 9 or 10 yr old OR a scam. I did'nt mean for it to look like what everyone is making it out to be. Im suprized at how some of you can turn things all around like that.

I think people were just looking out for the 'possible' youth. I have been buying/selling horses since I was about 12 (though i'm pretty sure I NEVER spelled that terribly) and if I was that youth, I would have been terrified knowing my info was on a discussion board posted for hundreds of strangers to see. Just keep in mind that there are dangerous people lurking EVERYWHERE and it is never right to put out anyones information (especially a possible youth) without first consulting with said person/persons guardian. I know it was just an overlook, but for future reference everyones privacy and personal safety should always be taken into account before posting

That goes for everyone

p.s.-I think you've done wonderfully so far and should wait until the parents contact you now. IF it isn't a scam, it sounds like your little one could a wonderful home!

 

[~Dan]

[SIZE=12pt]I often times ask people about their horses they have for sale, even though I'm not planning on buying anytime soon, but If I could then I would know the exact horse I wanted, and I'm 14. I think I remember Mona talking about a youth that contacted her on one of horses, and when she asked whether the girl had parental consent, and she never said anything more, perhaps Mona can tell the rest of the story.[/SIZE]

However, if people have received this same e-mail, then I thinks thats a little fishy ><> <---(fish)