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What’s a Pet Scam?

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People who rely on the internet to find and buy a new pet often end up with nothing but tears and an empty pocketbook, statistics from the Better Business Bureau and Federal Trade Commission show. Pet scammers lure in buyers with photos of cute animals – usually puppies, but any animal will do – take the buyer’s money, then not produce a pet. The BBB estimates that 80 percent of sponsored search links for pet sales may be scams. The FTC estimates that only about 10 percent of people scammed this way report it.

To protect yourself from pet scams, the BBB advises:

  • Ask to meet the seller, and see the pet, in person. Legitimate breeders will welcome the visit.
  • Don’t send money via wire transfer to anyone 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, so you can dispute the charges. Petscams.com also warns buyers about paying with Zelle.
  • Use Google Image or another internet image search browser to find duplicate images of the pet you’re buying. If the same picture appears on multiple websites (or as a stock photo), it’s a red flag. 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. If someone advertises a purebred dog for free or at a deeply discounted price, it’s probably a scam. 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.
  • 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. 



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About this Contributor

Maureen Milliken

Maureen Milliken is a contract reporter and content producer for consumer financial agencies. She has worked for northern New England publications, including the New Hampshire Union Leader, for 25 years, and most recently at Mainebiz in Portland, Maine. She can be found on LinkedIn and Twitter.

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