Trading horses 

Source: Fair Go

• WATCH the video (8:20)

You can buy almost anything over the internet now, including animals and pets. But when you're buying "sight unseen" how do you know who you can trust?

Myra Dickson advertised on the Trade & Exchange website for a pony for her daughter Jamie. She got a reply from someone calling himself "Alex Roberts" who said he had the perfect beginners pony, he even sent photos. But when Jamie's surprise Christmas present arrived, she was more scared than excited. Jamie's 'pony' was a huge, heavy-breathing, dreadlocked horse.

An expert told Myra later that the horse was "straight off the back of a dog food truck".

Becka also advertised for a horse. She wanted a well-trained and gentle natured horse for her boyfriend Tony to learn how to ride. Seller Jody Albert told her he had just thing - he sent her a photo and said he'd sell it to her for a bargain price, only $350 because he was moving back into town and he needed a quick sale. Becka was in shock when the horse arrived. Basically a "walking skeleton" she said, with an infected eye and covered in sores. The horse was not at all what had been promised.

Our investigation uncovered that "Alex Roberts" is actually Jody Albert...and what's more, he's only seventeen years old!

Sarah runs a riding school in Auckland. She has eleven horses, but it should be fourteen. Sarah bought ponies "Apples", "Cloud" and "Ace" after seeing them advertised on the Trade & Exchange website last December. Only $1,500 for all three. Sarah contacted the seller, "Lisa Collingwood" and they had long conversations over the phone. Lisa explained that she was selling the ponies cheaply because she was moving to Australia and she needed them gone. Sarah paid up and waited for delivery. And she waited. And waited. And waited. Six months later, and no ponies.

Turns out that "Lisa Collingwood" is actually Brenda Albert - Jody Albert's mother.

Fair Go obtained security camera footage of the Albert family, using a computer at a campsite. We also obtained a print-out of the computer records. The computer records show that Brenda and Jody Albert were accessing the following websites: equinenow.com; google images/ponies; www.horseclicks.com; trade & exchange place an ad; and equinetrader's classifieds... Looks like they could still be up to their old tricks...

Fair Go has some advice for you about how to avoid buying horses from Brenda or Jody Albert, and how to protect yourself generally when buying animals off the internet sight unseen.

Ask to view:
ASK TO VIEW THE ANIMAL. IF THE SELLER SOUNDS HESITANT THEN STAY AWAY.
Get full contact details:
GET THE SELLER'S FULL CONTACT DETAILS.. INCLUDING A LANDLINE PHONE NUMBER AND A STREET ADDRESS.. AND CHECK THEM OUT.
Avoid pressure sales:
IF THE SELLER STARTS TO REALLY PUT THE PRESSURE ON.. THEN YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT BUYING FROM SOMEONE ELSE
Pay into holding account:
AND IF YOU'RE BUYING SIGHT UNSEEN.. PAY THE MONEY INTO A HOLDING ACCOUNT AND ONLY RELEASE IT WHEN THE ANIMAL ARRIVES