Sarasota detectives close $6,000 horse scam site

Sarasota County detectives seized the domain of a fraudulent website this week, ending an online horse-selling operation that cost one out-of-state buyer $6,000.

The investigation started on July 9 after a man from Colorado reported losing money to a business advertising as Horse Adventures. He initially paid $5,000 for two horses and drove to Sarasota to collect them. At the pickup location, the seller claimed a family emergency prevented the handoff. The buyer returned to Colorado without the animals.

The seller later offered to ship the horses for an extra $1,000. When the horses did not arrive, the seller told the victim they were stuck in Louisiana and needed another $3,000 for delivery. Suspicious of the growing costs, the victim contacted the Sarasota County Sheriff's Office.

Detectives found that the website used a legitimate Florida business registration number and owner information to trick buyers into paying for horses that did not exist. Working with the Florida Attorney General's Office and the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, officials shut down the site to stop it from targeting new victims.

Sheriff Kurt A. Hoffman said the agency is focused on holding those who exploit victims accountable. No suspects have been identified yet, but detectives are continuing the investigation to find more people who lost money to the site.

Anyone who believes they were a victim can contact Detective Vinopal at 941-861-4900.