Greg's Corner

Victim threatened with animal abuse charges in puppy scam

By Greg Collier

A woman from Oklahoma recently fell victim to an online puppy scam. The victim lost $5,800 to the scammers, which is one of the higher amounts we’ve seen lost to this scam.

If you’ve never heard of a puppy scam, there are actually a few different scams called puppy scams. The one we’re discussing today is the one where, typically, no puppy actually exists. The scammers set up phony websites where they claim to be breeders. They tend to advertise one specific breed in the scam. The pictures on the scammers’ websites are usually stolen from other place on the internet, but used as if they were selling the pictured puppies.

Once the scammers have found a victim, they’ll string the victim along while trying to extract multiple payments from the victim. No puppy is ever sent to the victim.

The victim was shopping online for a Maltipoo puppy for her husband for Christmas, after they lost their family pet. After placing the order with the website, she was asked for a down payment to be made by American Express gift card. She was told that payment didn’t go through and needed to make the deposit again. Then she was asked for money for shipping, then for puppy daycare, until the amount lost to the scammers was $5,800.

When she told the scammers, she wasn’t paying them any more money, they threatened her by saying that she would be facing ‘puppy abandonment’ charges if she didn’t pay.

While shopping for most things online is convenient, a pet shouldn’t be shopped for online. If you’re looking to buy a specific breed, look for legitimate breeders that are within driving distance from your location. It’s best that you see the puppy in person before buying one. But even if you’re going to a local breeder, research them first before making any kind of purchase. Make sure you’re not buying from a puppy mill or backyard breeder, where the animals are often sick with terminal illnesses.

Lastly, we always hope that if our readers are in the market for a puppy that they consider adopting from their local shelter. You can usually adopt for little to no cost, and you’re giving a lonely puppy a home.