Best Farm Deals helps private sellers, farms and equipment dealers connect with interested buyers. Most transactions are arranged directly between the buyer and seller.
Sellers are responsible for verifying buyers, protecting personal information and using secure payment and pickup practices.
Create an Accurate Listing
A clear and honest listing reduces disputes and attracts serious buyers.
Include:
- The correct manufacturer and model
- Year, when known
- Current condition
- Asking price in Canadian dollars
- City or nearest town
- Clear, recent photographs
- Known damage, wear or repairs
- Included attachments and accessories
- Delivery or pickup details
- Any applicable taxes or dealer fees
Do not hide defects or describe used equipment as new.
Photographs should show the actual equipment being offered. Avoid using stock images unless they are clearly identified and accompanied by photographs of the actual item.
Protect Your Personal Information
Do not publish sensitive information in your listing or messages.
Never share:
- Banking passwords
- Email passwords
- Verification codes
- Credit-card information
- Social insurance numbers
- Copies of government identification
- Remote access to your computer or phone
Use the city or nearest town as the public equipment location. Do not publish your complete residential address.
Share the exact inspection or pickup address only after you are comfortable with the buyer.
Keep Early Communication on Best Farm Deals
Use the Best Farm Deals messaging system for initial conversations.
This helps:
- Keep messages connected to the listing
- Maintain a record of the discussion
- Reduce unnecessary public exposure of your contact information
- Make suspicious activity easier to review
A legitimate buyer may later ask to speak by phone. That is normal, but remain cautious when someone immediately pressures you to move to an unfamiliar messaging app or website.
Verify the Buyer
Before arranging a viewing, accepting payment or releasing equipment:
- Ask for the buyer’s full name
- Confirm their phone number and email address
- Speak with them directly
- Confirm who will inspect or collect the equipment
- Verify the business when the buyer claims to represent a company
- Be cautious when the buyer refuses normal communication
For higher-value sales, request reasonable identification at the time of the transaction. Do not retain copies unless there is a legitimate reason and you can store them securely.
Watch for Overpayment Scams
A common scam involves a buyer sending or claiming to send more than the agreed price, then asking the seller to refund the difference or pay a shipping company.
Do not:
- Refund an overpayment
- Forward money to a third party
- Pay a buyer’s transporter from funds they sent
- Trust a screenshot showing that payment was made
- Release equipment because a cheque appears in your account
A deposited cheque can initially appear available and later be returned as fraudulent.
Only accept the agreed amount. If a buyer sends too much, contact your financial institution before taking any action.
Confirm Payment Independently
Do not rely solely on:
- Emails claiming payment was sent
- Screenshots
- Printed confirmations
- Links supplied by the buyer
- Messages claiming your account must be upgraded
- A pending payment notice
Confirm payment by signing into your bank or payment service through its official website or app.
Never use a banking link sent by an unknown buyer.
For large transactions, consider completing payment at a bank or using another arrangement recommended by your financial institution or lawyer.
Be Careful With Cheques and Bank Drafts
Personal cheques, certified cheques and bank drafts can be forged or altered.
Before releasing equipment:
- Contact the issuing financial institution using independently verified contact information
- Ask your bank how long the payment may take to clear
- Confirm whether the funds are final and irreversible
- Do not rely only on the appearance of the document
A bank draft should not automatically be treated as cash.
Be Cautious With Electronic Transfers
Electronic transfer can be useful, but sellers should still confirm that the funds have been deposited into the correct account.
Never:
- Share verification codes
- Pay a fee to receive a transfer
- Enter banking information into a link sent by the buyer
- Accept a transfer that requires you to return part of the funds
Use strong passwords and enable multi-factor authentication on your email and banking accounts.
Avoid Unusual Payment Methods
Be cautious when a buyer insists on paying through:
- Cryptocurrency
- Gift cards
- An unfamiliar payment application
- An overseas transfer
- A third-party account
- A payment service selected by the buyer
- An unknown escrow company
These methods can be difficult or impossible to reverse.
Best Farm Deals does not hold payments or operate an escrow service unless clearly stated otherwise.
Arrange Inspections Safely
When someone comes to inspect equipment:
- Schedule the meeting during daylight hours
- Tell another person about the appointment
- Have someone else present when possible
- Secure unrelated equipment, tools and keys
- Limit access to private buildings and areas
- Keep children and pets away from operating machinery
- Follow normal farm and workplace safety procedures
For home or farm locations, do not allow visitors to wander through the property without supervision.
Demonstrate Equipment Carefully
Only operate equipment when it is safe to do so.
Before a demonstration:
- Confirm guards and safety equipment are in place
- Keep bystanders away
- Use a qualified operator
- Explain known defects
- Do not allow an unfamiliar buyer to operate equipment unsupervised
- Confirm appropriate insurance where necessary
Do not permit unsafe test operation merely to complete a sale.
Handle Test Drives and Off-Site Inspections Carefully
For self-propelled or road-going equipment:
- Verify the person’s identity
- Confirm they are legally permitted to operate it
- Accompany them when practical
- Retain control of keys until the test begins
- Agree on the route and duration
- Review insurance implications
- Do not release ownership documents before payment
Use added caution when the buyer wants to take equipment to another location for inspection.
Verify Transport and Pickup Arrangements
Confirm in writing:
- Who is collecting the equipment
- Pickup date and time
- Transport company
- Driver’s name
- Trailer and loading requirements
- Who is responsible for loading
- Who is responsible for permits and securement
- Whether payment must be completed before loading
Verify the transport company independently rather than using only contact details supplied by the buyer.
Do not release equipment to a driver unless the buyer has authorized the pickup and payment has been confirmed.
Use a Written Bill of Sale
Complete a written bill of sale for every significant transaction.
Include:
- Buyer and seller names
- Contact information
- Date of sale
- Equipment make and model
- Year
- Serial number
- Purchase price
- Payment method
- Equipment condition
- Known defects
- Included attachments
- Pickup or delivery terms
- Taxes, where applicable
- Signatures
Each party should keep a copy.
Do not state that equipment is free of liens unless you know that statement is accurate.
Disclose Liens and Financing
Tell the buyer about any known:
- Liens
- Loans
- Leases
- Security interests
- Ownership disputes
- Insurance claims
Resolve outstanding claims before the transaction when required.
Misrepresenting ownership or concealing a lien can create serious legal and financial problems.
Keep Records
Save:
- The original listing
- Messages with the buyer
- Buyer contact information
- Payment confirmation
- Bill of sale
- Inspection records
- Transport information
- Relevant photographs
- Any warranty or service documents provided
Keep records for a reasonable period in case a dispute arises.
Common Warning Signs
Be cautious when a buyer:
- Offers full price without asking reasonable questions
- Claims to be unavailable for an inspection
- Sends more than the asking price
- Asks you to pay a transporter or agent
- Sends a link to receive payment
- Requests passwords or verification codes
- Pressures you to act immediately
- Refuses to speak by phone
- Uses inconsistent names or contact details
- Changes the pickup person unexpectedly
- Claims payment is being held until you pay a fee
- Asks you to ship before payment is confirmed
Do not ignore warning signs just because the buyer appears eager.
After the Sale
Once the transaction is completed:
- Remove or mark the listing as sold
- Keep your bill of sale and payment records
- Transfer ownership documents where applicable
- Cancel insurance or registration only when appropriate
- Remove personal information stored in connected equipment
- Provide only the warranties or promises agreed to in writing
Do not leave sold equipment listed as available.
Report Suspicious Activity
Report suspicious buyers, messages or payment requests to:
Include:
- The listing link
- Buyer’s display name
- Relevant messages
- Screenshots
- Payment instructions
- A description of what happened
If you believe a crime has occurred or money has been lost, also contact your financial institution and the appropriate law-enforcement agency.
Important Notice
Best Farm Deals is an online marketplace connecting buyers and sellers.
Unless specifically stated otherwise, Best Farm Deals does not inspect equipment, verify buyers, process payments, guarantee transactions or provide legal, financial or insurance advice.
Sellers are responsible for confirming payment, verifying buyers, complying with applicable laws and deciding when it is safe to release equipment.