Friday, October 21, 2011

Father and son team scam farmers across Oklahoma

Investigators say a pair of scammers have finally been caught after swindling farmers and ranchers out of thousands of dollars. At first authorities thought this was a civil case but after taking a closer, look they soon realized this was a scam a father and his son have taken all across the state. And, surprisingly, somehow this father-and-son duo got away with it for quit awhile until investigators at the Department of Agriculture caught on to the story they say Cory Yearwood and his father, Randy Yearwood, were telling victims. "They'd go to the farmer or rancher. They'd drive through the area. They'd spot irrigation pipe, the irrigation wheels, the sprinkler heads, and they'd contact the farmers and ranchers," Department of Agriculture Colonel Mike Grimes said. Court records state the pair would simply call them up and offer them a deal. "Here's what we'll do for you, we'll take it and cut it up where it's transportable. We'll take it to the metal recyclers," Grimes said. "We'll sell it, and then we'll bring you back a check, and then you have to pay us $300 after we're all finished with that. A lot of farmers and ranchers agreed to that." The pair would take the equipment alright, straight to the scrap metal yard, never show back up to pay the farmer and would keep all the money. Authorities say it's a scam the Yearwoods pulled off several times in five different counties, scoring between $5,000 and $7,000 with each stop...more

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