VIDALIA — The Louisiana Department of Agriculture is warning farmers to be on the lookout for possible scammers.

In the scam, which targets hay producers, the scammer sends a payment for more than the asking price of the producer’s hay, and the farmer deposits the check or money order and returns the additional funds to the scammer.

It is only later that the farmer finds out the original check was no good.

The decision to warn the area farmers was made as a preemptive measure, Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry Press Secretary Ashley Rodrigue said.

“They have had a lot of problems with it in North Carolina and in some other states,” Rodrigue said. “If it can happen in one or two states, then it can definitely happen here.”

The scammers have used classified advertisements in the Market Bulletin publication in the past, and Louisiana still has an active Market Bulletin, so the department felt it was necessary to get the word out as quickly as possible, Rodrigue said.

Usually communicating through e-mail, the scammers often refuse phone communication.

Signs to identify someone participating in this kind of scam include:

4Refusing to pay with anything other than cashier’s check or money order.

4Insistence about paying more than the asking price.

4Requesting the farmer send the money to a third party.

4Lack of interest in the actual hay.

Those who believe they may be victims of an agriculture-related scam can contact the department of agriculture and forestry at 1-866-927-2476.