Buyers searching Facebook for used farm equipment thought they had found a South Dakota dealer with machinery ready to ship. The Better Business Bureau says the website was fake, the business name was stolen from a real family, and reported losses tied to the operation topped $35,000.
The site used the name Bass Farm Equipment and claimed to be based in Castlewood, South Dakota. BBB said the address belonged to Craig and Roxanne Bass, who own Bass Sanitary Services and a farm, but the family had no connection to the equipment sales.
KOTA reported that the fake operation reached buyers through Facebook listings and Facebook Marketplace, then moved them toward wire payments for equipment that never arrived.
BBB said the case had been referred to the Hamlin County Sheriff’s Office and the South Dakota Attorney General.
The Fake Dealer Used a Real Family’s Address
Bass Farm Equipment claimed it had served farmers and builders since 1995, according to BBB. The website domain told a different story: BBB said it was registered on May 4, 2026.
BBB investigators spoke with Roxanne Bass on May 26, and she confirmed the family was not connected to the website.
The Bureau said a North Dakota consumer showed up at the Bass family’s real home address asking about heavy equipment the family did not own or sell.
Facebook Listings Led Buyers Into Wire Payments
BBB said one North Dakota consumer saw equipment listed by “Bass Farm Equipment” on Facebook and called the number provided.
The buyer was told to wire payment. When she asked to inspect the equipment in person before sending money, the business allegedly disconnected and stopped communicating.
A separate BBB Scam Tracker report described a Texas buyer who found equipment on Facebook Marketplace, spoke with the seller by phone, signed a sales agreement, received an invoice, and completed a money transfer.
The buyer later received shipping information with a delivery date and time. The equipment never arrived, and attempts to reach the business failed. The reported loss was $23,970.
Another online fraud report described a $14,500 loss after a buyer wired money for equipment that never arrived. BBB said reported losses connected to the fake Bass Farm Equipment operation exceeded $35,000.
The Paperwork Made the Deal Look Finished
The Texas buyer’s report shows how far the transaction went before the loss became clear. There were phone calls, a sales agreement, an invoice, a money transfer, and shipping information.
For a long-distance equipment buyer, those steps can make a sale feel complete before the machine is ever seen.
BBB also said the phone number listed for Bass Farm Equipment, 605-215-1629, had appeared in another suspected equipment scam using the name Miller Equipment.
BBB Warned Buyers Not to Skip Inspection
BBB said wire transfers can be difficult or impossible to reverse once the money is sent.
For expensive machinery, BBB urged buyers to inspect equipment in person or send a trusted representative before paying. Buyers can also search the address separately, verify the business through independent records, and call a phone number found outside the seller’s own website.
Anyone who attempted to do business with Bass Farm Equipment should report the incident to local law enforcement, BBB Scam Tracker, and the South Dakota Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division.