Woman Loses Hundreds Of Dollars To Online Puppy Scam

In our asked and answered segment, we shared what potential pet parents need to know about buying pets online.

However, many people may not know the potential danger lurking around the corner while shopping for pets online until they fall into it. This is exactly what happened to Chelsea Myer from Arizona when she saw a puppy advertised on Facebook.

She said: “I was on Facebook and I saw this cavapoo picture and he had a whole bunch of them up there. I clicked on it and I guess it was clickbait and I sent him a message and I asked him if he had any puppies available. He was selling the puppy for $600 and the deposit was $200. This was a good deal considering that this kind of breed usually runs between $2,000-$3,000 per dog.”

Carried away by the cheap price, Chelsea communicated with the seller behind the screen and the seller seems legit.

When it was time to send him a deposit, Myer said: “I feel like if you're going to get scammed it will be more than that, so I paid him $200. He said it was for transfer fees to put the puppy in our name. That's pretty much what it was and he agreed to come.”

Everything seemed real as there was constant communication. The victim even spoke to the seller over the phone.

However, trouble started when the seller didn't show up when it was time to meet with the puppy and introduce her to other dogs of the house. Instead, Myer's calls were ignored, and her phone number blocked before the scammer went away with the $200.

For her kids that expected a puppy and there was none, Myer had to let them know that it wasn't about the money only.

Myer knew she can't get her money back, but hopes it doesn't happen to anyone else. This was a report she filed with the Surprise Police Department in Arizona.

Myer's story is pathetic but you can learn from it. So, if you're to purchase a dog online, visit the person, avoid payment methods that can not trace the seller, research breed prices, and reach out to local animal shelters if possible.

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