Free Horses or Another Scam?

[merrygoround]

A friend just sent me this which was passed on to her.

Scam? Old news ? Updated version of similar story?

“FREE HORSES!!! 52 thoroughbred horses need homes. Will go to Sugarcreek this Sat. for slaughter. Gentleman died due to COVID-19 and his son wants nothing to do with them. Most broodmares are broke and some are in foal weanling, yearlings, 2 yrs. and 3 yrs. old most are gelded. FREE and papered. Friend of the deceased is trying to find homes.(732) 618 8243 Fairhill, Md.
Please copy and paste this on your status
I would hate to see all these horses put down. PLEASE someone help they are FREE and papered!!!
A friend of mine posted this.
~ Carol Niswonger”

[Macimage]

Yes old news from 2011 with update info in some versions.

[poltroon]

OMG not the 52 free horses again. This is from, what, 2011?

And in this case, someone deliberately changed the text to make it feel current, in a way that I can only assume was malicious.

[TheMoo]

No offense OP but where have you been? It’s now an internet joke.

[merrygoround]

@TheMoo

No offense OP but where have you been? It’s now an internet joke.

Reading 101. I did ask if this was an updated version of an old story, So I was not completely sleeping under a rock.

FYI, I am well aware of a similar story involving another breed which was very very, true. However, one person took them all,

[JustTheTicket]

The updated part is that the guy “died from COVID”. So it’s not updated. It’s the same scam.

[alibi_18]

Poor person who’s gonna be called over and over…

Isn’t 732 - phone from NJ?

[trubandloki]

https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/52…nFTNOJPxiP8TyI

Even snopes is up to date on the latest version of the infamous 52TB give away.

[moonlitoaksranch]

I think this is actually a religious cult that targets horse people. They promise that when you reach the afterlife, you will find…

…wait for it…

• 52 Free TBs!!!

[Altag]

This is so ancient and so widespread that there are memes on it. :lol: Wish I could post them, but can’t get the images to paste on COTH. But here are a few interesting ones I saw on FB yesterday…

STOP (Image of stop sign). Do not adopt the 52 Thoroughbreds. Every single owner they get dies.

(Image of Lord Eddard Stark leaning on his sword from Game of Thrones) Brace yourselves…The 52 Free Thoroughbreds posts are coming!

(Image of guy holding his hand out) Enough already! The 52 Thoroughbreds found homes in 2011!

(Image of Doc Brown from Back To The Future) Just got back from the year 2157 and the 52 Thoroughbreds still need saving!

[furlong47]

The cause of death, location, and phone number have all been changed. I wonder who is the poor owner of the new phone number…

[Texarkana]

What I think is odd is that I’ve seen the 2020 covid reboot going around with several different phone numbers and locations. The original post had the horses in Ohio I believe, but I’m also seeing a version with the horses in Fair Hill, MD. And I’ve seen multiple different area codes listed in various posts. It’s bad enough the cause of death was changed, but who on earth is changing the contact info and locations when they recirculate it?

[Altag]

Okay, this is the BEST one yet! :lol:

^^^
Image of camels with empty saddles running.

FREE CAMELS!!! 52 thoroughbred racing camels need homes. Gentleman died due to COVID-20 and his no-good, camel-hating, styrofoam cup-loving, plastic straw-using son wants nothing to do with them. Most females are broke and some are pregnant- some yearlings, 2 yrs. and 3 yrs. old. Most are gelded. Most of those that are gelded are males. FREE and papered even though there is no registry for camels. Friend of the deceased is trying to find a home. Also for the camels.
Please copy and paste this on your status. PLEASE someone help!!! A friend of mine whom I’ve never met posted this.
^^^

• Most of those that are gelded are males.* Snicker, snort! :applause::lol:

[SuzieQNutter]

What is the point of the scam when they don’t seem to be asking for money?

[SonnysMom]

@SuzieQNutter

What is the point of the scam when they don’t seem to be asking for money?

I think in prior years it has gotten resent as it is not clear of the date in the original post. Somebody comes across it and posts it to anyone they know that might have horses or love animals.

I think the current one is Trolling the internet not scamming. Or changing the number to somebody they don’t like so that person gets a ton of spam phone calls.

Although I could see a scam where they post the 52 Free TBs and when you call the number they ask for a donation to their “rescue” so they can “save” one. But I don’t think that is what is happening. I think it is straight up trolling.