Scammers net thousands through false sales

WAFarmers is warning people to be wary of online scams when buying farming machinery.

The caution comes as cyber-criminals stole thousands of dollars from 76 farmers in NSW.

The scammers, claiming to be based overseas, advertised farming machinery at discounted prices.

Victims made payments via Western Union, but the items never arrived.

The criminals often posed as soldiers, according to WAFarmers.

A spokeswoman said while there was no evidence of a similar scam hitting WA, it was a timely reminder for online security.

WAFarmers warned people to only buy equipment they had inspected and use a secure system like PayPal.

Anyone who may have been scammed can contact WA Police on 131 444.