From Farm Tools to Phantom Charges
The site is called farms-shops.com and it claims to sell everything from tractor and HVAC equipment to bug zappers and patio supplies. It looks convincing enough, with a US-based company address and prices that may seem too good to pass up.
So you place an order. But when the charge appears on your credit card statement, the company name doesn’t match the website. Now you're wondering if you just paid a scammer to never deliver your new riding mower.
That’s the situation one Georgia resident found themselves in recently. A little digging uncovered some alarming red flags that you should know about before confirming that new power saw purchase.
The Website Doesn't Add Up
At first glance, farms-shops.com (or “Farm & Ranch”) presents itself as a one-stop shop for farming gear and home maintenance equipment. But beneath the surface, the details start to crumble.
One issue is the website's "About Us" page. Now, for most companies, this is the page where potential customers can get a sense of who the company is. Not in this case! First of all, their entire About Us page consists of one long, difficult-to-read paragraph, riddled with spacing and punctuation errors. Second of all, the paragraph itself seems to have been written for a completely different website.
See for yourself:
Then there’s the address. The website lists a Boston location, but a quick search on Google Maps shows the address literally does not exist. A little research into the website’s domain registration reveals that the website’s registration actually leads back to a company in China.
That doesn't prove it’s a scam, but it does contradict the image of being a US-based business the site tries to project. More importantly, it complicates any chance of resolving a dispute or returning an order if something goes wrong.
And then there’s the domain name itself. Farms-Hyphen-Shops sounds weird to say, and really isn’t what you’d expect from a serious equipment retailer. Real businesses don’t usually go for names that sound like placeholders.
What to Do if You Already Ordered
If you've placed an order and now suspect the website is fraudulent, act quickly. Call your bank or credit card company to dispute the charge. Most financial institutions have fraud protection services and may be able to reverse the transaction if reported soon enough. Under federal law, you have certain protections for credit card fraud, but they typically require prompt action.
Keep an eye on your account for any further unusual charges. In some cases, scam sites are just one part of a larger fraud scheme. If a shady merchant has your payment info, they might try to use it again.
It’s also important to report the incident. Georgia residents can file a consumer complaint with the Georgia Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. Reporting fake websites helps the authorities investigate and possibly shut down operations targeting more local consumers.
The Broader Problem with Scam Sites
Scammers love to create fake websites that cater to high-ticket items. Equipment, tools, and farm supplies are perfect examples of this. These products are expensive, not always available in physical stores, and often purchased online by people who need them quickly.
But real equipment retailers provide verifiable details, list working customer service numbers, and their domain names typically match their business names. You should also be able to easily find online reviews, Better Business Bureau ratings, and (does it need to be said?) real addresses you can confirm on a map.
Farms-Shops provides none of that. You won’t find any trustworthy contact info, no company registration data, and no physical presence anyone can verify. Instead, it leaves behind just a cryptic website, an unrelated credit card charge, and a lot of unanswered questions.
How to Stay Safe When Shopping Online
Before making a large purchase on a website you’ve never used before, do some quick background checks. Search the company name along with words like “scam” or “reviews.” Look up their business address to see if it’s real. Try calling the contact number, if one is provided, and ask about return policies or shipping.
Most importantly, trust your instincts. If the site looks suspicious, or if the prices seem much lower than those of reputable competitors, there’s probably a reason. Scammers rely on urgency and impulse to override caution.
If you’re unsure about a company, stick with verified retailers or ask your local agricultural extension office for recommended suppliers. Many Georgia counties also have cooperative buying programs or directories of trusted equipment sellers.
The Final Word
Shopping online for equipment shouldn't feel like a gamble. But as websites like this one demonstrate, some online stores are just well-designed traps. If a company won’t tell you who they are, where they’re based, or how to contact them, you have to ask yourself why.
If you can’t find the business behind the website, there’s a good chance there isn’t one.