Cattle Scams, Stolen Photos & How To Protect Yourself — With Katy Cowell, BBB Midwest Plains

Cattle scams are getting worse, more sophisticated, and harder to spot and they're hitting both buyers and sellers. This week Lori and Taylor are joined by Katy Cowell, multimedia specialist with the Better Business Bureau Midwest Plains, to break down exactly what's happening in the Highland and mini Highland world, how to protect yourself before you send a single dollar, and what to do if you've already been hit.From fake Facebook groups with hundreds of thousands of members to wire transfer fraud and AI-generated calf photos that look completely real, this episode is essential listening for anyone buying or selling livestock online.Key TakeawaysAlways reverse image search photos of animals before sending any money - scammers steal photos from real farms and there are two victims every time. Search any seller name plus "BBB scam" before purchasing. A free BBB business profile gives your farm an extra layer of verified credibility with buyers. If you've already sent money, call your bank immediately - wire transfers can sometimes be stopped. A Highland calf selling for $500 is a scam. Full stop.Episode HighlightsTaylor shares how scammers stole photos of her children and husband and posted them as their own family and how Facebook's response was basically nothing. Katy walks through a real 2024 case from Broken Bow, Nebraska where a legitimate mini Highland farm was impersonated and multiple buyers lost money. The team breaks down the tells: fake commenting networks, groups with "adoption" in the name, pressure to send money fast, and why AI can now make a hamster look like a Highland cow. Plus how to report scams via the BBB Scam Tracker and get your own free business profile.Timestamps00:00 — Welcome & why scams are the topic today 01:02 — How cattle scams work and who gets hurt 02:03 — BBB tips: stop, verify, reverse image search 03:16 — Facebook groups and how to tell the real ones from the scam ones 04:09 — BBB Scam Tracker: what it is and how to use it 05:17 — Taylor's story: her children's photos stolen and used by scammers 06:14 — How BBB vets complaints and protects legitimate farms 09:25 — What cattle scams look like in 2024 — the Broken Bow, Nebraska case 13:48 — How to pay safely: credit cards, wire transfers and what to avoid 16:34 — Payment red flags and what to do if you've already sent money 19:34 — The tells of a scam Facebook group 22:40 — Price is always a red flag — Highland calves don't sell for $500 25:09 — How to use the BBB Scam Tracker to research a seller 28:10 — Farm equipment auction scams: $250,000 in reported losses 33:00 — What new buyers get wrong about the mini Highland world 39:16 — Not every bull should stay a bull — the steering problem 47:19 — Where the Highland community reports scams today 48:13 — How to create a free BBB business profile for your farmReport a scam or create your free farm profile at www.bbb.org/scamtrackerFollow us on social media so you don't miss out on any advice, auction updates, or crazy farm stories!Find us on Facebook: Horns N Hooves Instagram: @hornsnhoovesauctionpodcast TikTok: @Hornsnhoovespodcast Website: hornsnhoovesauction.comProduction Credit: Edited and produced by @the32collective_ / https://www.the32collective.co/