How to Avoid Being Scammed Online
Reading Time: 4 minutes
by Jaclyn De Candio
How to avoid being scammed online? Learn how to spot a scammer on Facebook and what to look for in a quality seller.
The internet has brought the buying and selling of live animals into a whole new era. It’s now easier than ever to find whatever you need for your flock — from breeding stock to barnyard mixes — at the touch of a button from anywhere in the nation. The downside is an atmosphere ripe for scammers.
With the proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) and ever-changing algorithms, there’s been a sharp rise in fake hatcheries and online sellers that can capture even the savviest online users.
How to Spot a Scammer on Facebook
One of the most common places people are lured into scams is via social media. Facebook, with its business profiles, community groups, and Marketplace feature, is a major target for scammers.
Unfortunately, it’s become difficult to distinguish between fake and authentic hatcheries and private sellers. They share many similarities, but there are several telltale signs.
Scammers tend to target what people really want by claiming to have rare breeds, hard-to-find colors, or by making unreasonable offers (e.g., large quantities always in stock with no hatch date schedule) with unrealistic shipping guarantees (e.g., undisclosed private delivery services that promise to bring orders “to your doorstep”).
If you’re new to buying poultry locally or through a hatchery, it’s probably best to avoid Facebook until you’re more experienced.
Beware of Facebook pages that have typos in the title or improper grammar. Sometimes, selecting “See page info” displays the country where the page was created. These pages often use AI logos or have vague titles such as “Generic Name and Generic Name poultry farm.”
Another way to authenticate can be to reverse image search online to make sure the images aren’t stolen.
Accredited hatcheries should be able to process normal credit and debit cards. An immediate red flag is any online sale request that requires payment other than via standard credit or debit cards.
AI has made it easy to build convincing but fraudulent websites. You might be able to pick up on clear “AI speak” writing patterns, but this isn’t really reliable, as more professional companies are also using AI to help write their pages. A better way is to check if they have a physical address and a National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) number.
Beware of newly registered domains with no customer reviews outside the website. You might also be able to search the hatchery or farm name with “scam” online or check some poultry forums. But this is getting harder to do as more scams emerge.
Elements of a Quality Seller
A real breeder can show you real birds — on their property. Ask for current photos or even a short video with a handwritten note showing the date. A scammer will dodge that request.
A real hatchery will have a complete website and reviews on Google Business and on its social media pages. They should also have catalogs you can browse, with original photos; some even offer a free physical copy.
Likewise, private sellers should have original photos and be able to provide additional photos upon request. You should be able to visit the hatchery, view the animals before payment, and make phone calls.
While real hatcheries tend to have listed hatch dates and limited quantities, there’s no pressure to “buy now,” nor is there an artificial sense of urgency.
Hatcheries and private sellers should demonstrate knowledge and transparency. They’re more than happy to disclose NPIP participation, breed and line details, vaccinations, and shipping preferences over the phone.
Both private farms and public-facing hatcheries usually share their formal or informal policies upfront. These include written health and live-arrival policies, with clear minimum chick or hatching-egg orders required for shipping. And don’t forget, they have realistic policies and don’t make nonsensical guarantees, such as 100 percent hatch rates, zero mortality, or single chick shipments.
How to be a Responsible Buyer
Responsible buying takes practice, but fortunately, there are many ways to learn. Always use multiple sources of verification, and don’t be shy about asking for references from multiple individuals in online poultry groups or forums.
Of course, all the basic internet shopping tips still apply. Think about the way you use credit cards or PayPal’s “goods and services” mode. Make sure you receive a verifiable invoice and avoid peer-to-peer transactions without protection, unless you personally know the seller.
Real hatcheries have multiple points of verification, including a website (sometimes with facility photos) and a presence on multiple platforms with reviews and verifiable addresses.
If you’re dealing with a private seller, don’t hesitate to request more photos, a video showing the date, or a photo with a handwritten note. Most scammers will disappear when these requests are made.
Finally, report suspicious pages on Facebook and other social media pages. Put out the word in your local poultry community to help protect others.
The best protections are education, patience, and a willingness to verify before you pay. Reputable poultry transactions start long before chicks are shipped. They begin with responsible buyers who ask questions and expect transparency.
Jaclyn De Candio is an agriculture freelance writer based in southwest Ohio. She and her family raise broilers, turkeys, ducks, laying hens and other livestock on their small farm.
Originally published in the June/July 2026 issue of Backyard Poultry and regularly vetted for accuracy.
