FRANKFORT, Ky. — A business claiming to sell bourbon barrels and be headquartered in Lexington is actually a scam, Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear said Friday.
Oakwoodbarrels.com claimed that "The Oak Wood Barrel Co." sells bourbon, craft beer and spirit barrels and ships them worldwide, Beshear said in a news release. As of Friday afternoon, the website appeared to be down.
Three victims, including two from out of state, said they paid more than $650 for barrels that they didn't receive, according to Beshear.
Beshear said he drove to the Lexington address that was listed on the website and found there's no physical building there. The post office returned a letter his office sent to the company.
"During the Christmas season it is sad that con artists go to extreme lengths in order to steal money and personal information from those who support Kentucky's popular bourbon industry," Beshear said in a written statement. "I urge anyone who has fallen victim to this company to contract the Office of the Attorney General immediately and file an online complaint.
Kim Sweazy, the director of operations for the Better Business Bureau in central and eastern Kentucky, said they contacted Beshear's office for further investigation into the company.
"Kentucky is well-known for its bourbon distilleries," Sweazy said in a news release. "The people behind this scam used that recognition by providing what our investigation showed are fake Lexington addresses on the website."
Beshear said that consumers should check websites for a phone number and research a business online before making any purchases.
To contact Beshear's office, call 888-432-9257 or visit ag.ky.gov.
