Right now, ruthless puppy scammers lurk online – hoping you’ll click on their websites, post or offer to help them. Spotting the signs of a puppy scam can save you from heartbreak. Scams include “dog breeders” who only accept bank or wire transfers or don’t have a live video call so you can see a puppy, littermates and mother.
dogster interviewed animal welfare insiders who revealed the tricks of these criminals and how to recognize a scam.
How to protect yourself from major puppy scams
Before posting a bond on that pup, do your research on the dog breed and potential breeders. Know how much the puppy should cost, what are the size standards and colors. Any puppy that looks too good to be true (cost below market value, special color or size outside of the breed standard) probably is. Here is a list of tips to protect yourself from puppy scams.
- Pay with a credit card
- Find a reputable breeder by answering these questions: Does she belong to the national dog breed club or any other canine organization, does she hold positions in any organization, do the dogs meet the breed standard , Do the people on the breed group’s Facebook page know her?
- Ask to review the contract
- Check to see if the puppies in question are on the puppy scam lists reported on sites like PetScams.com, which lists the latest scam websites.
- Know the current rate for this type of puppy. If the cost is below this rate, it might be too good to be true.
- Does the puppy deviate from the breed standard in any way? Trendy sizes or colors could indicate a scam or dog breeder raising unhealthy puppies
- Google the name of the breeder and the name of the business. Look for reviews and comments from previous customers.
- Meet the Puppy and the litter in person or have a live video chat
- How are you going to get the puppy? Many breeders ask that you pick up the puppy in person rather than shipping it. If they want to ship the puppy, make sure it’s not a puppy shipping scam (see below)
- Do a reverse image search on the photo of the puppy to make sure it’s not a stock image
- Adopt from a shelter or rescue in person
Types of lost puppy and dog scams
Not sure if it’s a scam? Dig into these top four puppy and dog scams to find out what they look like.
- Online puppy scams
The online puppy scam is one of the most common schemes on the Internet. Fraudsters create attractive websites and pose as dog breeders offering adorable puppies for sale. They post photos of popular breeds like French Bulldogs, Goldendoodles, Labradoodles and Dachshunds, you will fall in love with the photos of the happy and fluffy puppies. But the images are often stock photos or hijacked from other dog breeders’ websites.
“I’ve seen videos and photos of my own puppies advertised for sale, sometimes old videos of dogs that are now adults,” says Vivianne Hulsey, a conservative breeder who runs Vixbull French Bulldogs. “It’s crazy and predatory.”
If you contact these so-called dog breeders, they will demand a bond for the puppy, saying something like, “Send us some money now, or you’ll lose the puppy.” We have 10 interested people. After sending money, they disappear. Since “Dog Breeder” does not accept credit cards, you may have fewer ways to dispute charges and get your money back.
“Pets are a huge, huge business, and these people get it,” says Madeline Bernstein, president of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Los Angeles and author of Designer Dogs: An Exposé.. “These people are exploiting love and the human-animal bond.”
- Puppy Shipping Scams
Some pup scammers take your deposit money and run away. Others move on to the often ugly shipping phase.
“They find out where you’re based and then tell you they’re across the country,” says Paul Brady, a cybersecurity consultant who started PetScams.com, which tracks puppy scam websites. . “If you’re in California, they’re in New York. If you’re in New York, they’re in California, so they can charge you huge fees for shipping.
Then the “dog breeder” tells you there’s a transportation problem (for a puppy that doesn’t exist), and it’s expensive. Paul knows someone who lost $20,000.
“They’ll say, ‘The airport has refused your pup and you have to pay for an air-conditioned box (crate),'” Paul explains. “If you don’t pay, they’ll ratchet up the pressure, saying, ‘The puppy is going to be languishing in an airport. “”Keep in mind that airlines do not require temperature-controlled checkouts.
Scammers may say your pup missed their flight and ask you to pay them for another one. They demand money for insurance, vaccines or medicine.
Once they’ve scammed you, they can give you an actual flight number for your pup. Some victims have gone to the airport without finding a puppy, realize they have been scammed and leave crushed.
- Do You Want Craigslist Puppy Ads, Social Media & Scams
Money thieves also write social media posts and want ads with sad and fake stories.
“They say, ‘I need a rescue dog’ or ‘I’m a missionary stationed in a foreign country. I have to repatriate my dog quickly; he’s free,” says Kathleen Summers, director of outreach and research at the Humane Society of the United States’ Stop Puppy Mills Campaign.
When you reply, the person may tell you that they need the money to bring the dog to you, and it turns into a shipping scam.
“Unfortunately, kind-hearted animal lovers are often reluctant to give up because they think the animal is in a bad situation,” says Kathleen. “He takes advantage of people who think they’re doing the right thing.”
Some announcements are on real dogs offered for sale by thieves, puppy mills and backyard breeders. “You get a sick dog, spend thousands of dollars on medical bills, and the dog dies anyway,” Madeline explains. “The salesperson becomes unreachable and you are stuck with expenses. It’s quite depressing.
- Lost dog scams
Scammers also troll lost dog posts to trick worried families.
“It’s devastating,” says Leslie Poole, executive director of Pet FBI, a free database of lost and found pets.
Fraudsters call the number on the extension and claim they have your pup. They ask for money to bring your dog to you or for medical expenses because he has been injured. Delighted and relieved parents send the money – of course, via bank transfer, payment app or even gift cards.
“Then they never hear from the person again,” Leslie says. ” It’s the worst. You must obtain verification that they have your pet before transferring funds.
Like online puppy seller scams, you can ask to do a live video chat with the person and your dog. Or find out exactly where they are and contact their local animal control agency or the police.
Dog Lovers Who Spotted Puppy Scams
Madison Nak from California connected to a website selling exactly what she wanted: a cream-colored French bulldog.
“They’re like, ‘I’ll send you some videos,'” Madison says. “It wasn’t FaceTime or Skype, but they said something like, ‘Here are videos of the dogs in our yard this morning.'”
Madison was suspicious and asked them to write her name on a piece of paper, put it next to the pup, and send her the picture. It was then that she realized it was a ploy. “They photoshopped the picture,” she says. “I’ve never sent money. Luckily I didn’t get scammed.
But Marsha M. of Kansas was not so lucky.
She tried to buy a French bulldog for her mother, who is battling cancer. “Her dog had just died,” Marsha said.
Marsha found a website offering darling puppies at a reasonable price. (Puppies priced below the regular rate are a sign of a scam.) When she inquired, they asked a barrage of questions.
“What kind of house do you have?” What kind of court? They said they wanted to make sure their babies were going to the right home,” says Marsha.
Marsha sent a deposit of $850 through a payment app. Then she discovered that the same “dog breeder” had a dozen similar websites, each selling a different type of dog.
She emailed Petscams.com and he confirmed that the site Marsha paid for was on his list of scams. Despite her efforts, she did not get her money back.
“I can’t believe people are so mean,” she says. “My mother ordered toys. She has food. I am so angry.”
How Do Puppy Scammers Get Away?
How do these scammers keep scamming dog lovers?
“Many scammers operate from Africa without fear of arrest or extradition to the United States to face criminal charges. Scammers know this,” Paul says.
Paul says the only way to stop the scams is to educate dog lovers to stop falling in love with them. “If you get an email that says, ‘My son is a Nigerian prince, and we have $50 million.’ You know it’s a scam,” Paul says.
Marsha says she was hesitant to talk about what happened to her, but she wants to warn others of the pain caused by the scammers.
“I was so embarrassed,” Marsha says. “But the word has to get out, even if I can only help one person.”
Quickly spot a puppy scam: look for a fake logo
Beware of Fake Logos and Stolen Logos on Puppy and Dog Scam Websites
Scammers swipe names and logos of legitimate organizations for added credibility. If you have a lost dog, a scammer may send you an email claiming they are part of a genuine lost pet recovery service, but they are not.
“They say, ‘I can find your pet, but I’ll need the fee up front. It’s a red flag right there,” Leslie says.
Some scammers display the American Kennel Club (AKC) logo on their “puppies for sale” website. The AKC is a well-known registry of purebred and pedigree dogs.
“It’s a regular occurrence,” says Brandi Munden, vice president of public relations and communications for the AKC. “Our logo is easily found online. It’s not hard to download it and put it on a website, unfortunately.
The AKC does not license or certify breeders or dogs. The group registers dogs with the required lineage documents. If you have questions about AKC references on a website, email info@akc.org and the AKC will help you separate fact from fiction.
“Dig and do your research,” says Brandi. “Con artists play with someone’s emotional heart, and that’s unfair.”
