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5 Online Pet Scam Warning Signs

Pet scam red flags

Online pet scam is on the increase and many prospective pet parents are falling for it. 

Recently, Tammie McQuain needed to get a new furry friend nine months after her dog passed away and she clicked a website named, MiniPoodlePupsForSale.com.

The site only had a detailed application form, but there was no phone number, which McQuain says she found "a bit odd.” However, she filled out a contract the site sent her, agreeing to pay $500 via Zelle for transporting the dog to her home.

She said: “The form had all the steps that you think should be there.”

But later at 3am, she got an email from MiniPoodlePups asking her to pay $1,500 for “insurance.” They told her that since the dog was now hers, they’d turn her into authorities for endangerment if she didn’t fork it over.

Immediately after receiving the email, McQuain contacted the police and her bank to try and get her $500 back, all to no avail.

Although frustrated, McQuain admitted: “It could have been way worse.” 

McQuain is not alone, a woman in the United States also lost hundred of dollars to online pet scam and a research has reported numerous stories of fostering facilities and shelters going empty due to scarcity of pets during the pandemic. Many people have turned to animal companionship as they spend many hours working from home.

This in turn has created fertile ground for scammers to target prospective pet parents with fake websites, offering dogs that don’t actually exist.

How Online Pet Scammers Operate

Even though online pet scammers do not follow similar pattern,  sometimes their mode of operation can follow these steps:
  • They create fake websites or social media profiles
  • They post cute pet photos. 
  • They begin a conversation via email, text, or a messenger app whenever you contact them
  • They request for your money after the conversation.
  • They ask you to make the payment through money transfer from a company like Western Union, or an app like CashApp, Venmo, or Zelle.
  • They  are never upfront with what the full cost of the pet you intend to buy will be. 
  • They come up with bogus excuses as to how they need additional funds for a special travel carrier or why your puppy can’t come home. 
At this stage, you may become skeptical and realize that it's a scam but, several hundred or thousand dollars would have gone with no puppy in sight.

If you’re dead-set on getting a new pet, doing as much research as you can before dipping into your pocket is necessary.

Online Pet Scam Warning Signs Or Red Flags

If you come across any website or social media platform selling pets, look out for the following warning signs or red flags.

1. Check Pet Photo Sources

Scammers often scrape pictures from legitimate sources. So, if the same photo shows up in multiple places, it’s probably a racket. Also, be wary of photos that are overly-posed, look photoshopped, or like a stock image. If you see a dog that strikes your fancy, copy or download the photo and run it through Google images (i.e., a “reverse image search”) to see if it’s also posted on another site. 

2. Payment Method 

If a service refuses to take your credit card, they are likely a scam. Scammers prefer that you send money through a cash app or transfer company like Western Union or MoneyGram instead of credit card. They know that every credit card company offers customer protection.

3. Excess Excuses

If you are asked to pay money before you see the company's registration, vaccination, and veterinary health records, it's more likely that you're dealing with online pet scammers.

4. Low Prices

Research to know what the average cost is for a particular breed. If the dog is offered at a much lower price than the average market value, that is a warning sign. Sites like “MiniPoodlePups,” which still features a picture of sweet little “Lisa” on its homepage, and Julian Shepherd Pups, demand more and more money until the buyer eventually gets dip to their scheme.

5. Grammar

Be on the lookout for noticeably bad grammar, misspellings, and other gaffes. The vast majority of scamming websites come from countries where English isn’t the primary language. 

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