sending any payment, the department recommends independently locating the official phone number of a dealership and contacting the business directly.

They also advise discussing large online purchases with a financial institution before transferring funds and being extremely cautious of requests to wire money or send electronic payments to unfamiliar accounts.

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Whenever possible, the department suggests traveling to the dealership in person to inspect the equipment and complete the transaction using a cashier's check or another secure payment method.

The Georgia Department of Agriculture remains committed to protecting Georgia's farmers, ranchers and agricultural businesses from fraud and criminal activity, as agriculture is the state's number one industry.

Anyone who believes they have been targeted by one of these scams should immediately contact their financial institution and report the incident to local law enforcement.

Suspected fraud involving agricultural businesses may also be reported to the Georgia Department of Agriculture Law Enforcement Division.

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