Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti warned Tenessee residents on Wednesday of a scam business that utilizes Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) Commissioner Carter Lawrence’s forged signature through a Facebook Marketplace listing.
As part of the scam, according to Skrmetii’s office, a listing is placed on Facebook Marketplace for a nonexistent tractor for sale.
BE AWARE! 🚨🚨 A FB Marketplace Scam has been reported to the TN Attorney General's Office. The scammer is taking people's money during a fake tractor sale.
READ MORE: https://t.co/7yrGZV0XSU pic.twitter.com/wxSYZe0dFR
— TN Dept. of Ag (@TNAgriculture) September 13, 2023
When Facebook users inquire about the tractor, the “seller” uses a generic woman’s name and quickly directs buyers to contact Hartley Logistics, which is an entity that claims to be based in Memphis and have possession of the tractor, Skrmetti’s office adds.
In addition to inquiries about Hartley Logistics, TDCI said it has also received inquiries involving a shipping company out of Memphis called Grimwood Shipping, Inc, stemming from the Facebook Marketplace listing.
Interested buyers of the tractor listed on Marketplace are directed to transfer money to a nonexistent “escrow company” with an “escrow agreement” purportedly approved by Commissioner Lawrence, according to Skrmetti’s office.
“As part of the scheme, Hartley Logistics asks buyers to provide their Social Security number, picture of their driver’s license, and a current selfie as proof of identity. Once the information is provided and the money is transferred, the scammer takes off with the funds,” Skrmetti’s office adds.
In a statement, TDCI Commissioner Carter Lawrence said she was “shocked and angered” that scammers are using her name to “target our state’s hard-working agricultural community.”
“If you are approached by someone about this so-called deal who claims to represent me or our department, do not send them any money and contact the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office immediately,” Lawrence added.
Skrmetti noted that while online platforms can be “great for connecting buyers and sellers,” consumers should “watch out for deals that look too good to be true.”
As for the scammers, Skrmetti says they should “beware the very real consequences of selling fake tractors in Tennessee.”
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network.
