In the previous few years, Fb and Craigslist adverts for a 50-acre non-public searching floor in London, Arkansas have caught the eye of dozens of hunters within the space. Many paid lots of of {dollars} to a person named Dion Dawson for unique entry to the plot. Now they are saying they obtained scammed after discovering that entry was something however non-public, KATV’s 7 On Your Aspect reports.

“The primary query I requested [Dawson] It was: “If I lease this, it is simply me and the individual I mentioned can be hunted?” And naturally he says ‘sure’,” Arkansas hunter Daniel Smith tells 7OYS. “After I get right here, whereas we’re making corn, a man comes over and says, ‘I plan on renting this and locking this door,’ and I am like, ‘I’ve already rented it.'”

Round that point, Smith and the opposite hunter observed that one thing unusual was occurring.

“So he known as [Dawson] picks up the cellphone and places it on speaker and asks about it, and naturally he hangs up and says we’re liars,” Smith recollects. “I confirmed the opposite man the contract.”

Different hunters additionally confirmed with 7OYS that they paid Dawson. London resident Steve Rigdon paid $800 for 2 years, however says nobody is searching the property for security causes. He left a sandwich bag with a word affixed to the door of the property to alert different hunters who may present as much as hunt the land.

“My title is Steve Rigdon. I’ve [leased] this land together with 20 others. Please name me.”

Rigdon met Dawson on the door sooner or later. She tried to dam him and known as the police, however Dawson obtained round him. Rigdon has filed an announcement with the police, however breach of contract just isn’t grounds for arrest and is as an alternative normally resolved with a lawsuit.

“It is not about getting the cash again. It is about stopping different individuals from persevering with to do that,” says Rigdon. “We could also be peasants, however we aren’t silly.”

An Arkansas man named Dion Dawson was convicted of felony fraud in September 2014 after being accused of stealing checks from mailboxes and “washing” or deleting sure particulars in order that they could possibly be fraudulently given to different individuals. Whereas it hasn’t been confirmed whether or not they’re the identical man, the legal picture is an in depth match to the Fb profile image of a person in a relationship with Cindy Simpson, whose title can also be on Daniel Smith’s lease.

7OYS caught Dawson at a Motel 6 in Russellville, Arkansas, the place he threatened to name the police from the investigative group. He began sending emails threatening to “begin inflicting bother” to the group. In the long run, he gave specific (and pointless) permission to 7YOS to publish their tales.

“Please go forward and run it,” he mentioned. “Make me wealthy.”