Security Center
Recognizing scams

Online scamming is on the rise, but there are ways you can protect yourself simply by arming yourself with knowledge, staying vigilant, and using common sense. We’re happy to provide you with information and tips to help you avoid scams.

How to recognize scams

Scammers may try to reach you in multiple ways, including email, phone or text messages. Be wary of any unusual request for your personal or financial information. Follow these tips to help you recognize and avoid common scams:

Be suspicious of any email that promises a deal that’s too good to be true, includes attachments, or asks you for personal information. Never click on a link or open a file in an email unless you are certain you know the sender.
Be suspicious of any request for personal or account information. Ritchie Bros. will never ask you to confirm your account or personal details via email or text messages.
If you have received an email or communication from Ritchie Bros. that you are suspicious of, we encourage you to contact us. One of our dedicated Customer Support Agents will be glad to assist with your inquiry.

How to recognize fake emails

Fake emails from scammers masquerading as Ritchie Bros. may include our logos, use a fake Ritchie Bros. address in the" From" line, or attach fraudulent payment directions or instructions. Avoid falling prey to scammers by watching out for the following signs:

Fraudster email

Ritchie Bros. email

Fraudster email

Asks you to reply to the message with confidential information

Ritchie Bros. email

We never ask customers to provide confidential information via email.

Fraudster email

May include attachments, including fake invoices directing you to make payment to the fraudster’s account

Ritchie Bros. email

We never send our customers invoices via email attachment. Contact our Customer Support department by phone if you are unsure.

Fraudster email

Look for email addresses that are close but not exact. For instance, a fraudster’s email address may end in ".co" rather than the expected ".com"

Ritchie Bros. email

We will only contact you from an email ending with:

"@ritchiebros.com"
"@rbauction.com"
"@ironplanet.com"
"@mascus.com"
"@rbassetsolutions.com"
"@rbfinance.com"

Fraudster email

Usually include awkward phrasing and typos. This is a tactic that cybercriminals use to avoid e-mail filters designed to detect spam. Multiple grammatical/spelling errors should be a red flag for a potential scam.

Ritchie Bros. email

If you have a question about an email that you have potentially received from Ritchie Bros., please call our Customer Support.

Fraudster email

May include language to scare you into immediate action such as "Urgent action needed to restore your account" or "We have detected unusual activity on your account."

Ritchie Bros. email

If you have a question about an email that you have potentially received from Ritchie Bros., please call our Customer Support.

Fraudster email

May include link(s) pointed to malicious sites.

Ritchie Bros. email

The best practice is not to include links in email. Email is used for notification.

Buying and selling safely

Stay safe from scammers by making sure you are doing business on a legitimate Ritchie Bros. website. Scammers may try to lure you to other websites where they may try to trick you into giving up financial information, or to direct payment to their own fraudulent account. They may also try to trick you into believing that they will sell you goods and services which are never actually delivered. Here are some important points to bear in mind:

Make sure you are conducting business on a legitimate Ritchie Bros. website:
Ritchie Bros. does not "cross list" equipment items for sale on sites such as Craigslist, Kijiji, or Le Bon Coin. Make sure the item you are interested in is being offered from one of the above-referenced Ritchie Bros. family of sites.
Don't be fooled by offers to get a better price by dealing with sellers outside of Ritchie Bros. Offers that are "too good to be true" usually are precisely that!

Take these steps to protect yourself:

1. Install and maintain anti-virus software, firewalls, and email filters.

It's good practice to install and maintain anti-virus software on your computer. Most email applications and webmail services include some spam-filtering features. Firewalls can help protect your computer from your information being stolen.

2. Regard all unsolicited email with suspicion.

Be skeptical of emails sent to you, even if it appears legitimate, don't automatically trust it is from a legitimate source. Never click on a link in the email or open an email attachment unless you are certain it is safe.

3. If you are uncertain that a request is not genuine, contact a Customer Support Representative.

4. To help keep your account secure:

Do not share your account credentials (i.e. password)*
Do not use the same password across multiple accounts
Change your password on a regular basis
Familiarize yourself with best practices for the characteristics of strong passwords
Lock your screen when you are away from your device (i.e. computer, tablet, mobile phone)

*Important to note: Ritchie Bros. will never ask you for your password or account credentials over email.