A Houston man says he’s out of nearly $10,000 after wiring money to a company that, he later learned, doesn’t actually exist.
Jeff Lundy, 63, was searching online for farm equipment to help launch a new ranching venture with his brother.
While scrolling through Facebook, he came across an ad for a tractor listed by a company called Stonewall Farm Equipment. The price was right, and after a brief phone conversation and a professionally formatted purchase agreement, Lundy wired $9,000 to finalize the deal.
But the tractor never arrived, and neither did the promised shipping confirmation or delivery details.
“I feel bad. You know, I saved all that money to try to get my equipment, then it’s just gone,” Lundy said.
A Seemingly Legitimate Deal
Lundy says the initial phone communication with the company felt legitimate. After receiving a detailed invoice and instructions on how to wire the money, he followed through and waited for delivery.
“I called them, and they responded back to me, telling me all the steps you have to go through so they can ship it out,” he said. “Then I called them back to find out the name of the driver. They said they’d send it by email, and I never got it.”
When follow-up calls went unanswered, Lundy grew suspicious. He tried calling the company from a different number.
“They answered and they hung up once they knew who I was.”
No company, No tractor, No refund
KPRC reporter Joy Addison also tried calling the number listed on Lundy’s purchase agreement. It now appears to be disconnected. A satellite image of the address listed for the company shows a residential home, not a business.
Desperate to recover his money, Lundy contacted his bank to try and trace the wire transfer.
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“They said they don’t have any kind of information about where the money went or what account it went into at that Wells Fargo Bank,” he said. “They’re still trying to trace it, but they can’t find any information for the owner of that account.”
A costly lesson
Lundy says the ordeal has taken a toll on his physical and mental well-being and taught him a harsh lesson about online purchases.
“In the future, I’m not ordering anything else online,” he said. “If I can’t go in person and talk to somebody, I just won’t get what I want.”
The Harris County Attorney’s Office offers 6 tips to avoid finding yourself in a similar situation.
- STOP, think, and verify before providing your personal information to a requester.
- PROTECT your digital accounts by using multi-factor authentication.
- KEEP the software and security systems updated on your computer, phone, and other digital devices to guard against vulnerabilities.
- MONITOR your financial accounts and statements for unusual or unauthorized transactions as well as credit reports for unauthorized activity.
- REPORT any suspicious or unusual activities to the appropriate authorities.
- SUBSCRIBE to HCAO’s monthly newsletter as well as consumer alerts from the FTC.
Not giving up
Despite the setback, Lundy says he’s determined to track down the individual he spoke with over the phone. And if he does, he plans to press charges.
“I’m not going to give up,” he said.
