A Colorado man paid $6,000 for two horses advertised by a supposed Sarasota-area seller, then faced another $3,000 demand when the animals failed to arrive.
Sarasota County detectives later determined that the advertised horses did not exist.
The Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office announced Oct. 30, 2026, that investigators working with state authorities had seized the fraudulent website’s domain.
The investigation began when the buyer reported the suspected scam on July 9.
Scammers Used Real Florida Business Details to Make Fake Horse Listings Look Legitimate
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The website advertised horses under the name Horse Adventures and presented itself as a Sarasota-area seller.
According to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, its operators used a legitimate Florida business registration number and the registered owner’s information to make the fictitious listings appear credible.
Buyer Traveled to Sarasota After Paying $5,000 for Two Horses
The buyer initially sent $5,000 for the horses and traveled from Colorado to Sarasota to collect them, according to the sheriff’s office. The supposed seller claimed a family emergency prevented the handoff, and the man returned home without the animals.
The seller later agreed to ship the horses for another $1,000, which the buyer paid. When the animals never arrived, the seller claimed they were stuck in Louisiana and demanded an additional $3,000 for delivery.
Florida Authorities Seized the Website After Investigating the Fake Business
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier publicly discussed the investigation on Oct. 26, identifying cooperation between his office’s Cyber Fraud Enforcement Unit and Sarasota County detectives. As ABC7 Sarasota reported, the domain displayed a notice announcing that it had been seized under a warrant.
The notice identified the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, the Florida Attorney General’s Office of Statewide Prosecution and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement as participants in the enforcement action.
The sheriff’s office said detectives had not identified anyone responsible for the website and were seeking other potential victims. Anyone who believes they were affected can contact Detective Vinopal at 941-861-4900.
How to Avoid Fake Animal Listings and Unexpected Shipping Demands
The Federal Trade Commission has warned about animal-sale scams in which fake sellers collect an initial payment and later invent transportation problems requiring additional fees. Buyers should verify a seller independently, examine the animal in person when practical, and avoid sending money through gift cards, cryptocurrency or other difficult-to-reverse payment methods. A business registration number alone is not proof that the person advertising an animal controls the registered business.
Florida’s Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services recommends researching sellers, checking independent reviews and using payment methods that offer dispute protections. Anyone who has already paid for an animal that never arrives should preserve the listing, messages and transaction receipts, contact the payment provider immediately and report suspected fraud through ReportFraud.ftc.gov.