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          Latest News

          BBB Scam Alert: Beware of puppy scams this holiday season

          By Better Business Bureau. October 22, 2021.

          (Getty Images)

          If you are shopping online for a pet this holiday season, watch out. Complaints continue to escalate into Better Business Bureau’s Scam Tracker as fake pet and puppy scams are on the increase, according to the 2020 BBB Risk Report.

          Scammers know that few things pull at a person's heartstrings like an adorable puppy. And as consumers rely on the internet to find new pets, they will be met with a slew of heart-tugging ads. A BBB study found that many of the ads are scams, and anyone looking online for a pet is extremely likely to encounter one.

          The FTC estimates only about 10% of victims report these crimes – so the problem is likely more widespread. Then, when the pandemic hit in 2020, the numbers for pet scams skyrocketed.

          Soon after cities and states began to impose tighter restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19, BBB Scam Tracker saw a spike in pet fraud reports, with nearly 4,000 reports received in 2020 from the U.S. and Canada. Data from BBB Scam Tracker shows more reports about fraudulent pet websites in April than in the first three months of the year combined. The COVID-19 bump continued into the 2020 holiday season, with consumers reporting 337 complaints to BBB about puppy scams in November 2020, a dramatic increase from 77 for the same month in 2019.

          The median loss related to pet scams reported to Scam Tracker in 2020 is $750. Those aged 35 to 55 accounted for half of the BBB reports in 2020.

          Estimated complaints and scams pertain to pet scams, by year:

          2017: 884

          2018: 1.578

          2019: 1,870

          2020: 4,300

          How the Scam Works

          A photo of an adorable puppy on a website or an online ad pops up during a search. The description is endearing and appears to be from a breeder or pet seller. In other situations, ads or social media post descriptions come across as a distraught pet owner who must find a new home for a beloved dog. Once an inquiry is made about the pet, a quick response is sent to wire transfer money or an urgent request is made to purchase prepaid gift cards, or send money via an online payment cash app, to obtain the puppy previewed online.

          The "seller" then promises the pet will be shipped right away. What comes next is a series of unexpected problems. Scammers use a variety of excuses, like saying the airline requires a specific pet crate or the shipper requires costly pet insurance -- all of which need to be paid in advance and each time the dollar amount increases with each communication. With each new problem or scenario, scammers promise that they will refund the unexpected costs as soon as the pet is delivered. However, the pet is never delivered and neither is the refund because all of the transactions are carried out through an untraceable transactions.

          Scammers love to take advantage of people when they are in high emotion situation. The excitement of buying a new pet can cloud good judgment, and victims can be hurt financially and emotionally when they realize they have lost their money along with hopes for a new pet.

          Tips to Protect Yourself from Pet Scams:

          Visit and inspect the pet yourself by arranging to meet with the prospective seller in person. Most legitimate breeders welcome the visit.

          Never send money via wire transfer to people or companies you don't know and trust. Once the money is wired, it is gone for good. The same goes for prepaid debit cards or gift cards. Always use a credit card in case you need to dispute the charges. If anyone asks you to pay for anything with a gift card, you may be dealing with fraud. Petscams.com has also has warned people about paying with Zelle, a digital payment system.

          Search the internet for the picture of the pet you are considering. If the same picture appears on multiple websites, it may be a fraudulent site.  Consider searching for text from ads or testimonials to see if the seller copied it from another site or if they're hosting multiple sites.

          Research prices for the breed you are interested in adopting or purchasing. If someone advertises a purebred dog for free or at a deeply discounted price, it probably isn't a true. If the content on the page states they register the dogs with a specific organization or registry, confirm it by contacting the registry or organization directly.

          Check out the website. Go to BBB.org and find out if there is a listing of the business or the breeder listed on the website.

          Find out what other consumers are saying. Check BBB Scam Tracker and conduct an internet search on the breeder’s or organization's name..

          Consider visiting the local animal shelter. Many shelters are looking for fosters to help relieve animal stress and reduce overcrowding at their facilities. 


          For More Information

          Learn more about how to protect against pet scams, see BBB.org/PuppyScam and avoid holiday-related scams by visiting BBB.org/Holiday

          If you've been a victim of a puppy scam, report it on the BBB Scam Tracker to help others avoid a similar fate.