How can finding the puppy of your dreams be too good to be true? Read on.
The Better Business Bureau received nearly 10,000 complaints about puppy scams over the past three years. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that only ten percent of victims report these crimes; the number can be higher than reported. Florida holds second place in the number of scams.
Do your due diligence before you adopt a pet. By year-end 2022, 1,500 puppy scams were reported to the Better Business Bureau, costing adopters over $1m. World scholars and even those born with stellar street smarts have fallen prey to masters of the scam trade.
These charlatans are in full force, waiting for someone to click on their ads showing adorable Chihuahuas or Frenchies. They masterfully prey on the vulnerable in search of love, a too-good-to-be-true deal, or a precious new puppy to cuddle. I, too, almost fell victim to a puppy scam.
It would be an understatement to say the past few years of my life were bumpy. I lost both of my beloved dogs a couple of years back, and in 2023, I lost my two cats within months of each other. I was grief-stricken and vulnerable.
My home, once filled with multiple four-legged kids, is now a lonely, empty nest. Deciding to soldier on with life, I took the next best step – adopting a new kitty. A year has passed, and I still feel a vast void in the pit of my stomach; should I add another family member, a dog? There is no harm in looking, right?
I began to check out familiar pet adoption sites. In the past, animals in need found me no matter where I was, but it’s been four years since that happened.
One day, a Timber Wolf approached me in a supermarket parking lot, jumped into my car, and stayed with me until I found his owner.
Freckles
Another time, a realtor friend called me during a snowstorm to come and get an abandoned Dalmation left behind in a house at the shore after a marital split. The poor baby was skin and bones; his adorable spots were covered with sores. I took “Freckles” to the vet and eventually found a lovely family to take him.
It was the norm to have a continuous stream of dogs and cats pass through the threshold of my home. It was as if The Four-Legged Times advertised free room and board with directions and GPS coordinates to my home. I truly miss my halfway house for animals and the unconditional love they brought.
The Easter Puppy
Occasionally, I browse Facebook Marketplace to search for a one-of-a-kind item. One day, an ad caught my eye. The heading read Easter Chihuahua Puppy Giveaway to five lucky people. Skeptical, I checked out the details anyway. What was the catch?
The only requirement was to show interest via a private message to the normal-looking man in the photo. The puppy was a long-coat Chihuahua resembling my departed Monet’. My logical mind repeated the mantra, “This is too good to be true,” but my vulnerable self took over.
If it were real, this was an offer I could not refuse. My luck was changing for the better, or so I thought. I immediately made contact and received a faster-than-the-speed-of-light reply telling me I won a puppy. All I had to do was pay for its transport from Los Angeles. I had to pre-pay $200, so my puppy could arrive the next day. I started to put two and two together.
My intuition flashed SCAM in neon lights, but I sent the money with one condition – I use PayPal instead of Zelle to pay. The man agreed.
When disbursing money to someone, PayPal requires you to select one of two categories. The man insisted I choose the”family and friends” option, not “merchandise or service.” The smell of fish intensified by the minute, and I checked “service or merchandise” to be safe.
Within five minutes of submitting the payment, I received the nasty message, “I told you to put it through family and friends.” Moreover, I noticed that his PayPal account was under a different name.
I asked for a refund three times but received no response. After filing a PayPal complaint, the money was back in my account. I also made a fraud report to FaceBook. Selling animals is not permitted. These operators got creative with their attempted swindle.
The Search
After patting myself on the back for my street-savvy instinct, I began to check out two 501c3 adoption agencies, Adopt-a-Pet and PetFinder, where several animal rescue organizations post homeless pets for adoption. There is no consistency in rules and fees with 501c3 pet adoption agencies. There is a variation of rules, costs, and vetting practices.
501c3 Pet Adoption Agencies
Below are a few common threads for adoption agencies like Adopt-a-Pet and Pet Finder.
- These organizations are host to numerous rescue organizations looking for pets’ forever homes.
- They make their own rules, sometimes making it impossible for regular people to adopt. Prices vary by pet type and age, ranging from $50 to $800. There may also be additional charges for transport.
- Fees may include veterinary costs for vaccinations, chipping, or neutering, but no way in hell costs would reach $800, especially when these organizations get free or discounted veterinary fees.
I understand there are costs to operate a shelter. Still, my experience has shown that some charge ridiculous fees; they gouge adopters and spread the cookie jar around the office. That is a story for another day.
GetYourPet.com
This site provides a meeting place that connects pet owners and pet adopters. There is no agency involved.
- For-profit organization
- Attracts more people than other adoption sites because of low, across-the-board, standard costs
All dog fees are $199
All cat fees are $49. - The posters (animal owners) are not vetted, which makes it a hot spot for scammers.
Love at First Sight
I visited GetYourPet.com, and it was love at first sight. Her name was Ella, a beautiful little French Bulldog puppy. I read through her standard cookie-cutter description and inquired. Within seconds, I received a response from her supposed owner, “Johnson,” saying he would love to deliver her to me the next day if I paid $100 for transportation through Zelle. Do you see a pattern here?
My gut whispered, “Danger, Will Robinson,” but I angrily played along. I told him that $100 for gas for a 30-mile drive was outrageous. He became angry and tormented me with more than 20 consecutive messages. His frustration unleashed a rant in very poor English. He was immediately deleted from GetYourPet.com once I filed a report.
After Ella, I found four more scammers the same day; I suspect it was the same scammer changing profiles. I’ve now made it my personal mission to seek out scammers and take them down. Every day, I find at least four scams on GetYourPet.com.
Bright Red Flags
Take time to familiarize yourself with some bright red flags that point to potential scams and beat these criminals at their own game.
Reality can be heartbreaking when evildoers pull on the emotional heartstrings of animal lovers. Their felonious nets are widespread across the United States, infiltrating all social media platforms, many of which are currently being investigated by the FBI.
Use Common Sense
- Cost. If you see a $5000. French Bulldog puppy on GetYourPet.com for $199., it’s a scam. People do not rehome designer pets. MarketWatch.com says that a French Bulldog can cost anywhere from – wait for it – $1500 to $30,000.
The scams I caught were either Chihuahua or Frenchie puppies at the three-month-old age.
.
A Monty Python scene popped into my mind. It was the SPAM song when the word was sung, “Spam, Spam, Spam, Spam. I changed Spam to Scam, cracked myself up, and went to bed.
2. Asking for payment upfront:
If anyone asks for money to transport drop the mike, it’s a scam. This action violates the site’s rules. SCAM, SCAM, SCAM, SCAM.
3. Misuse of the English language.
4. Air flight upfront charges, scam.
Take time and thoroughly read every word of the post. Most of these scammers are from the main theft headquarters in Cameroon, West Africa, and do not speak English well.
- Advice
- Never give your credit card info to strangers.
- Research rescue agencies or breeders. Commercial dog or cat breeders must register with the Board of Animal Health for each facility they own or operate in Minnesota. Licensure is mandatory in 25 other states as well.
- Never pre-pay, and steer clear of Vevo.
- Do not look on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and other free websites.
- Resources
- How to Spot a Puppy Scam
- Ohio Puppy Scams
- Ipata
All in all, even though it’s hard when you begin searching for a pet, try to keep your vulnerable side at bay and use common sense. Follow these tips, and you’ll be just fine!
Happy searching!
