Highland Scams - how to protect yourself from scammers!
The popularity of Highland Cattle has led to an epidemic of scammers selling cattle that do not exist. There has been an alarming rise in fraudulent schemes where photos are stolen from legitimate breeders, and reposted on social media or fake websites.
Koolah Creek has been impersonated by scammers who are using our business name, logo and address. They are using photos of calves from legitimate breeders.
If you have bought a bull calf from the ‘Highland Bull Calves For Sale’ Facebook page, unfortunately you have been scammed.
If you have been given our address to collect your miniature Highland calf, you have been scammed.
If you have communicated with anyone on Facebook other than the official Koolah Creek Highlands - Mid North Coast NSW page, using any contact details but those listed on this page and our website, you have not been dealing with Koolah Creek.
Unfortunately, purchasing Highland cattle now requires an extremely cautious approach and attention to detail - to avoid becoming a victim of scammers attempting to sell non-existent or misrepresented animals. The scarcity of high-quality pedigree Highlands and the geographic size of Australia means that buyers are often tempted to buy sight-unseen from sellers too far away to visit. This provides an easy avenue for scammers to steal a deposit, full payment, or even the cost of transport for cattle which do not exist; most scammers are based overseas. Establishing direct contact with reputable breeders who are registered with the Australian Highland Cattle Society, and utilising trusted platforms for buying and selling can significantly reduce the risk of falling victim to a scam. At the end of this page, there is a list of known active Highland Cattle scams.
The basics of safe buying:
Verify the legitimacy of the seller through independent sources before proceeding with any purchase or paying a deposit.
Do your own independent research and cross reference everything. Anyone can claim anything on the internet - verify every claim for yourself!
Ask for the seller’s AHCS member number and PIC - and check the databases!
Visit in person or do a video call/facetime before paying even a small deposit. See the seller’s face, confirm the animals actually exist and are as advertised!
If the price seems too good to be true, it probably is. Highland cattle are in huge demand; you get what you pay for. An FIB heifer for $2,000 is almost guaranteed to be a scam.
If the seller is Vida Miniature Cattle, or any variation of 'Miniature Highlands for sale Australia' , run far away.
Our suggestions of the process to follow and questions to ask, to help you determine if a seller is legitimate:
Thoroughly research the seller. Ideally look for reputable AHCS registered breeders.
ASK: Are they a registered breeder with the Australian Highland Cattle Society (AHCS)? Purchasing from legitimate AHCS registered breeders is the safest way to buy Highland cattle in Australia. Many scammers claim to be registered breeders. They rely on most victims failing to check… a quick database search could save you thousands!
How to check:
1. Search the AHCS database - you can seach by surname, fold, name, member number, state, or postcode, etc.
2. Crosscheck all the details you have been given with the AHCS database (location, phone number, contact details, names).
3. If the phone number or email are different, contact the ‘seller’ directly using the registered details on the AHCS database.
If any details are different, be cautious!
ASK: Do they have a Property Identification Code (PIC). If they don’t have a PIC or won’t tell you what it is - walk away! In Australia, a PIC is a legal requirement to own livestock. More info on PICs.
How to check:
1. Search the PIC register - search using the PIC they provide you.
2. Crosscheck the name, business name and location you have been given with the database. If the phone number or email are different, contact the seller directly using the details on the database.
If the PIC details match, it does NOT confirm the seller is legitimate. Scammers often use other people’s PIC code (and create a fake facebook account in the PIC owners name to match).
To search the database, you will need your own PIC and NLIS account. (you’ll also need one to purchase and own cattle). If you can’t access the database, find someone who has an account to help you.
ASK: For their farm’s location & address.
How to check:
1. Look up the address on maps and google street view - if it is a suburban home or in a major city, be alarmed!
2. Does their supposed location match their photos? Ie snow in northern Australia, or an American style barn with deciduous forests.
3. Contact a reputable Highland breeder in their area, or ask on a local community facebook page. If the seller exists, someone local would have heard of them. The Highland community in Australia is small!
Scammers sometimes say they are located are in a remote location - too far for you to come and see them yourself!
ASK: Request references or testimonials from previous customers.
How to check:
1. Reach out to their customers personally for their experience (and be cautious that the ‘customer’ is not another fake facebook account).
2. Ask on Highland facebook groups, ask if anyone has heard of the seller.
ASK: How long have they been breeding for? How long has their social media been active?
How to check: on Facebook, go to ‘page transparency’ - you can see when the page was made, and if it has been renamed.
If the page has only been active a short time, be very wary!
ASK: Can you find anything on Facebook or Google? Has anyone heard of them before?
ASK: Does it all add up?
Thoroughly research the animal and its history. Does it exist, and is it as advertised?
ASK: Can you inspect the animals in person? If the seller won’t allow this, walk away!
If the distance is too far for you to travel, request a video call or Facetime to see the seller’s face and the animals.
Alternatively, find a local vet and pay for a pre-purchase examinaion - this way you have assurance that the animals exist and that they are healthy.
Most reputable sellers want to know their animals are going to good homes and will want to meet you!
We have a strict policy - we never accept a deposit unless the buyer has either come to see the cattle in person (preferably), or had a video call meet & greet, so they can see us and the cattle. This is because we do not want to condone or normalise the purchase of cattle without due-diligence. We feel it is irresponsible in the current situation of scammers running rife.
ASK: Can you do a video call to verify everything before you travel to inspect or collect? Most reasonable sellers are willing to do this. (There are some legitimate reasons a seller may be unable to, such as remote locations with limited reception.)
What to check:
Can you see the sellers face? Can you see the animal? Can the seller show you its NLIS tag on the call?
Is the animal as advertised? Ie if it is sold as being halterbroken and friendly, but it is running away in the paddock, that is a bad sign!
ASK: For the animal’s AHCS registration details. (if it is registered)
How to check: Search the AHCS database using the animal’s registration number
1. Is the registration number valid?
2. Do the details on the database match what you have been told? (ie have they given you the number for a 10 year old black bull when they are trying to sell you a 2 year old silver heifer?)
3. Does the NLIS number on the database match the tag on the animal? (NLIS tags do fail or fall out from time to time - but every piece of information helps to build the real story).
4. Is the animal currently registered to/owned by the person who is selling it? If not, be wary! Contact the current registered owner using the details on the database and verify with them - the animal may have been sold on or the database yet to be updated. Contact the AHCS.
ASK: For details on the animal’s history, health records, where it was born, how long they have owned it, its parents, etc.
Legitimate sellers will be transparent and willing to share all of this information about the cattle's health history, lineage, and any relevant certifications.
What to check: Ask plenty of questions about the cattle and look for inconsistencies.
Does what they tell you suit what you are looking for in your purchase, and does it match the rest of the seller’s story & photos?
Avoid sellers who pressure you into making quick decisions or require immediate payment without providing proper documentation!
ASK: For plenty of photos!
What to check: Are the photos all of the same animal? If it is advertised as a heifer, does it have a sheath/pizzle? (scammers often can’t tell the difference!). Does the advertised age match the photos? If they are selling an 8 month old weaned calf, and it looks like a week old calf - it is either a scam, or they are using an old photo. Either way, ask for current images!
ASK: What is the animal’s NLIS number?
What to check: Does it have an NLIS number. Does the number they tell you match the correct format of an NLIS number?
If it was bred by the seller and born on their property, the first part of the NLIS number should match their PIC.
Is it too good to be true? You get what you pay for. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
ASK: Is the price of the animals consistent with the current market? Quality Highland cattle are in huge demand in Australia (especially if registered) so the prices usually reflect this.
How to check: Look at the AHCS classifieds, or ask reputable breeders of equivalent animals for a price guide.
Good deals may come up from time to time - but if someone is selling quiet, show ready pedigree FIB registered heifers for $2,000 (ie 10-20% of their market value) we would bet with complete certainty that it is a scam!
ASK: Is the delivery price too cheap?
How to check: Ask a small livestock transporter for an independent quote to deliver the same distance.
$1-3/km would be typical. $100 to deliver 500km away is not realistic.
Some scammers lure you in with cheap delivery, or offer payment on delivery - if you pay the delivery upfront!
Trust your instincts and always verify the legitimacy of the seller through independent sources before proceeding with any purchase.
If you need help working out if a seller is legitimate, please get in touch. We can look into it for you and are happy to help where we can!
Known Highland scams using stolen photos: please report these websites and their social media pages
Highland Bull Calves for Sale
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090663851240
This facebook page is claiming to be Koolah Creek Highlands, and using our business name, address, and logo.
Ravana Highlands (Albury, NSW)
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083695213406
Previously called Vida Cattle Farm, this scammer became well known and has rebranded as Ravana Highlands in Albury. Check out the page name history!
Vida Cattle Farm / Vida Miniature Cattle (Coffs Harbour, NSW)
https://www.vidacattlefarm.com/
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083695213406&sk=about_profile_transparency
Vida Cattle Farm / Vida Miniature Cattle is a well known scam. They have stolen thousands of dollars from innocent Australians, for cattle which do not exist
Highland Cattle Company Pty Ltd (Cairns, QLD)
http://highlandcattlespty.com.au/
https://www.facebook.com/highlandcattlecompanypty
Highland Cattle Company Pty Ltd is a scam - they have copied Koolah Creek's website. They even have an ABN: 35 133 039 166. Don’t be fooled!
Highland Prairie Farm (USA)
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094384905801
Highland Prarie Farm is a scam - they have stolen photos from Koolah Creek and other breeders, including social media captions word for word. Facebook and Instagram won’t remove the pages, and don’t even believe this is violation of intellectual property! Don’t be fooled!
Miniature Highland cows for sale Australia (facebook page)
https://www.facebook.com/groups/3525628984361757/user/100081756382842/
Miniature Scottish Highland Farm
https://miniaturescottishhighlandfarm.com/
MINIATURE CATTLE AUSTRALIA
https://micropetminiaturecattle.com/
