(La Porte County, IN) - A Rolling Prairie man was apparently scammed by a bogus heavy machinery dealer.

On Wednesday the man filed a report with the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office, claiming that he had paid over $13,000 for a Bobcat mini excavator before being ghosted by the company selling it. He told police that he found the Bobcat for sale by a company called Premium Heavy Gears. After signing a purchase agreement, he sent a wire transfer for half the amount, followed by the remainder eleven days later.  He said he spoke once by phone to a woman who allegedly worked for the company. Then he got no further response.

A La Porte County detective made contact with police in Mobile, Alabama, the presumed location of the dealer. Investigators there reported that no such company existed and that over $8 million worth of similar deals had been reported since June. The FBI is now investigating the matter. The Premium Heavy Gears website has been suspended.