When Cindy Kirby saw Highland cattle advertised on social media, she leapt at the opportunity to buy some cuddly companions of her own.
She waited 12 months for the cows to arrive but said the animals were the perfect fit for her cattle property near Springsure, about 330 kilometres west of Rockhampton.
"I just wanted to bring something in for the new generation, the little ones, I guess," Ms Kirby said.
"And they're pretty cute and fluffy."
With their shaggy locks and gentle nature, Scottish Highland cattle are quickly becoming known as the social media stars of the bush.
Ms Kirby said their photogenic appearance had seen the animal's popularity skyrocket, particularly amongst hobby farmers.
But the breed is not just popular with farmers, scammers have also taken notice.
Ms Kirby said she had to navigate a market full of fake ads to find her cattle.
"I would have spoken to a scammer a day at least," she said.
"I guess you've got that higher demand and it's just easier for those scammers to slip in, blend in with the crowd."
She said the "rush" to get hold of cattle meant people were becoming more susceptible to scams as prospective buyers were often willing to pay money for animals they had not seen.
"They're as hard to find as hen's teeth, so you're willing to put a deposit down because you think someone else will take them," Ms Kirby said.
"There's unfortunately quite a few people who have paid and either gone to pick them up or are sitting, waiting for a truck to arrive, that just never comes."
Social media stars
Queensland representative to the Australian Highland Cattle Society Carolyn Keans said the breed has seen interest spike as the cute cattle dominate social media.
"They're smaller, they don't need much room and they don't need as much feed," Ms Keans said.
"They're perfectly suitable for someone who has maybe 10 acres and they just want a couple of beautiful animals to keep their lawn down and look nice.
"Their popularity is really taking off in that arena."
Ms Keans said the breed's soaring popularity had also driven up prices, meaning those who fell victim to scams were losing out significantly.
"You're looking at about $15,000 for a registered cow and calf," she said.
"I had somebody contact me a couple of weeks ago who actually did get scammed.
"Unfortunately, once you've paid for the animal or paid a deposit, there's usually no getting that money back."
A 'rare' breed
Ms Keans runs the Queensland Highland Cattle Breeders Facebook group, which has more than 1,000 members who advertise animals for sale.
She said new buyers could be vulnerable to scams if they did not understand the market.
"We are one of the main breeders in Queensland, along with maybe half a dozen others," she said.
"So people start with us and when people can't get what they want, they spread their search wider and that's when they become vulnerable to scams.
"We only have about 1,500 fully registered animals [in Australia].
"So that gives you an idea of how rare they are."
How to avoid a scam
Ms Keans said once people understood the market it was easier to sift through the scams.
She tells new buyers to ask for a cow's unique National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) number and a video of the animal walking.
"Australian law says you have to have an NLIS tag for all cattle, so I ask for that number," she said.
"Then I ask for a video, it's easy to lift a photo, but it's very, very hard to be genuine if you can't video your animal walking about."
Major and Organised Crime Squad Rural northern area co-ordinator Detective Senior Sergeant Paul Elliot said scammers could easily take advantage of a buyer's lack of knowledge.
"If it seems too good to be true, it probably is," he said.
"Buyers need to be aware that there are people out there trying to take money off other people.
"Do your background checks, use people you know, do your checks on eartags and earmarks before you even attempt to make the purchase."
