Classified sites are those that allow the sale of anything by anyone (pretty much). These are reported and researched by workers and the public. That’s why sophisticated con artists are using puppies as bait to scam you out of cash. By researching the general market price for your pup, you can see if the price recommended by a breeder makes sense. Word of mouth is a powerful tool. Report a Scam/Fake Facebook Page and have it removed! Puppy love comes so easily, and sadly, criminals know it. There are three main ways online puppy scams are done: What Facebook puppy scam post may look like: Here's an example of an email a scammer may send: Fraudsters primarily take advantage of people who want a purebred dog but do not want to pay a full price for the puppy at reputable breeders, which will often range from $2000 and up to $10,000 or even more. If you stumble across multiple negative reviews, it is always worth reading through them. A legitimate breeder will care about their animals’ welfare before anything else and have good reviews and ratings wherever you look. How do you spot a puppy scammer? Even if the breeder you are contacting has answered some of your questions, immediate payment is always a red flag. But which websites are worth looking into and how do you report and check out scammers? Fraudsters generally use pictures of real puppies from other ads or Facebook posts, and you can use Google's reverse image search to check if that photo has been posted anywhere else. I plan to get a lot of my dogs from overseas when and if I begin breeding again. You want to have a payment method that is traceable, so that if need be you can dispute the purchase. But you don’t want to spend hours searching through them to see if you find the breeder in question. When shopping around for a new pet, it is only natural to want to avoid dangerous dog breeds. Scammers are now copying Airlines websites, images, logos, emails, etc. Online scams are especially common with the ease of money exchange and lack of details often traded. Real puppy sellers usually have their own website so they can give you more information you need about the puppy. Why Are Poodles Often Bred With Other Dogs? If they seem to have little care about this in their advertisements or when you are conversing, they may be a pet scammer. These websites will keep records of scamming websites, breeders, and contact information. In an ideal world, potential buyers and owners would not have to worry about puppy scams. Stay alert and do your research and you’ll find a breeder as passionate about their dogs as you are. They will require you to wire them money through Western Union or MoneyGram (or use a prepaid debit card), securing the dog for you. How to Spot an Online Scam. How to spot a puppy scammer. Those that do ask questions may be threatened by the breeder, with the chance of the puppy being returned and then they are not allowed to re-purchase it. Therefore, do not take these sites as confirmation that the breeder you are consulting with is not a scammer, consult other factors as well. For example, a scammer may present themselves as a more vulnerable and confused individual to attempt to put the buyer at ease and not worry about the possibility of a scam. You may still be left with a few questions about puppy scams. In the seedy world of puppy scams, it is common for scammers to take photos from legitimate breeders' websites and post them on their own. This way the breeder can state that there was a problem during shipping and additional costs require payment, such as extra plane tickets or fuel costs. If money appears to be their prerogative, then look elsewhere. Many buyers in the USA will have puppies shipped to their nearest airport. They contain a thorough list of pet scammers and the years they were recognized in. This is a great technique to employ when you are first contacting a breeder. Watch for deals where the … If you don't have one already, you are going to need a veterinarian anyway. I used a tool called a reverse-image search, which checks to see if a picture has been posted somewhere else on the internet. In this case it is worth considering dropping off the deposit in person while the puppy is very young and then discussing the contract in the weeks leading up the appropriate re-homing age. It is a good article explaining how to avoid a lot of online puppy scams. Do an internet search of the picture of the pet you … But good breeders will put the safety and re-homing of the puppy before anything. You can talk to vets while also asking for their input on regional dog sellers that they recommend. One person sent money to a breeder of Huskies, but never got the puppies. Sometimes the “seller” will promise a partial refund of insurance or shipping costs upon the dog's safe delivery. Reputable breeders typically have waiting lists and far more professional means for advertising. Some breeders do this but not all of them. Be aware of the shipping laws in your location as it can prevent you from being scammed with fake shipping costs and services. If you see the puppy’s photo elsewhere online, it could be part of a scam. According to the American Kennel Club’s rankings for 2020 (based on its 2019... © 2020 TopDogTips.com. Because they will often work on dogs sold from such places, they are a great resource of information. A real and professional dog seller will always ask you questions because they care for their animals. The price can also be increased if the breeding or lineage is of champion dogs. Credit cards are best for this, and you can easily issue a chargeback if you get scammed. But how can you tell if a wire transfer is trusty? Check out this easy guide to find out how to do a reverse image search on your phone. Once you make arrangements with the fake shipper/seller, you then will receive an email from the “airline” they are shipping your animal on saying that you need to send more money for missing … One way they can do this is by citing shipping complications. Otherwise, you can ask the breeder to show the correct documentation to prove the validity of their registration. The International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA) are pet shipping experts. 19 Best German Shepherd Mixes – Golden Shepherd, Shollie & More. The photos of his wife and him are fake holding the puppy you would like to purchase. When purchasing a puppy you can agree to give money in person to the breeder to avoid any scams. There is a death in the family, loss of a job, or moving to a place that doesn't take pets. Wheither you have a soft spot for a 10 week old puppy or you want to help a needy adult dog in a shelter, these criminals can target you. Your email address will not be published. Avoid internet purchases unless you can travel to meet the dog. 1000's of dog breeders love The Dog Breeder's Handbook. FrenchBulldogs. Some puppy scams may combine copied pictures to try to convince buyers they have bred many different litters over the years. Series of unbiased buying guides and reviews for dog breeders. Use those references and call them up. Be cautious and not too trusting to avoid a puppy scam. The welfare of the dog is ensured along with finances agreed upon in the contract. They may also pressure you by saying that failing to pay higher fees can result in your losing the selected puppy, or even worse – they will claim to report you to the FBI for animal abuse because you failing to pay puts the dog in danger. Never buy an animal that you haven’t seen in the flesh. Rare colorings may also be a reason to raise a puppy’s price, but these are the most common and justified reasons. When on a phone call, you could ask questions that the scammer has not prepared for and cause you no have doubts about their legitimacy. Furthermore, only do this with breeders with high reviews and trustworthy recommendations to ensure safety. to be used for general knowledge only. Furthermore, reputable breeders will have puppy contracts put in place to ensure both the breeder, buyer, and puppy will be happy. As owners are so excited and worried about their new puppy, many will dish out the extra cash without any questions asked. With scammers, they will often add these “extras” one by one, like astronomical crate fees upward of $800, travel insurance for $1,000, increased shipping costs, and airport to door delivery. The "breeder" had sent through photos of her pups. If this is a local ad, the sellers will also have a reason to avoid a face-to-face meeting. Therefore, you should be cautious of a seller who refuses to create a puppy contract or has not got one formed. content, products, and resources as well as animal education; the information and content on breedingbusiness.com is intended Whereas an email will allow them time to prepare an appropriate response as well as think of an excuse if needs be. NEVER pay via cashapp, Venmo, or Western Union. In a puppy scam, which can really apply to any animal but puppies are so commonly associated with this that the name […] All your dogs' health, nutrition, fitness, grooming and special care. If a breeder is asking for a wire transfer, you must ask yourself, why would they require that if you will see them in person to pick up the puppy? Contact is everything and a good posting and pictures may seem brilliant, but could easily have been copied from someone else’s hard work. A reputable breeder is also able to tell you the dog's entire pedigree with ease, including health history and anything else you wish to know. Fake Airlines. This is why we believe it is one of the most valid fraud websites due to its depth of research and publication of puppy scammers. This can take up to a week depending on the backlog and how large the website is. puppyfame.com is a scam on The Puppy Scammer List. An email can also be used to avoid a face to face meeting, show a puppy, and allows the scammer to think of a thorough reply. As long as you remain vigilant and check the claims of breeders before agreeing to anything, you can avoid puppy scams. It seems too good to be true, the pups are a lower price (but we had gotten a dog last year for the same price so that doesn’t bother us) but the guy only accepts checks as deposits, and mainly communicates through emails, he is willing to give out his phone number and gave his address tho. I think it’s possible to spot a scam, and even easier to spot … In fact, many of the scams happening within the puppy world are currently being spearheaded by scammers in Cameroon, Africa. Get selected articles delivered right to your email. Let’s take a look at a few ways to spot a puppy scam online! Subscribe . Of course, not every breeder that requests a wire transfer is running a puppy scam. ... How to spot a puppy scammer. Similarly, if the costs are low for a puppy or very discounted, always be wary and ask why. Often times the scam artist finds you. However, if a very young puppy is advertised as the last of the litter, but is still a young age, a discount may be suspicious. They should be easily able to search the database to tell you if this is true or not. For example, if you live in California and are receiving and a package from Nevada, check the shipping laws in both states. However, sometimes they will sell a puppy but enforce additional charges through lies. Not unless there is a sudden health issue or an emergency reason to rid the puppy. Puppy scam artists will often use posts and pictures of real breeders’ dogs to try and present an attractive persona. But owners are also distraught that their family member is never going to arrive. Google everything – the breeder’s name, kennel name, phone number and even their pictures. Dogs are perhaps the best animal companions humans have ever known. Also, if they are caught, they can simply deactivate their account and create a new one within ten minutes. We decided to change it up a bit this time and show a puppy scam. Fraud.org deals with all kinds of fraud complaints to make scammers more well known. Consider reverse searching images to see if they have been posted by other users and copied by a breeder. These websites will research the claims and publicize any of those that prove to be scams. 1. Price and availability information shown on Amazon at the moment of purchase will apply. These articles can prove informative for all prospective pet owners, not just those looking to buy a dog or puppy! Often they just say "PM me". Better Business Bureau (BBB) conducted a study on Craigslist puppy scams (and other similar internet sales of dogs), finding that 12.5% of all reported online purchase fraud was related specifically to puppy sale scams as consumers filed tens of thousands of reports. Any good breeder will allow you to view the parents of a puppy so you can gauge their future temperament, size, and coloring. 6. The Puppy Scammer List bears no responsibility for any damage caused by your actions. Especially if they are “free to a good home”. Furthermore, they can offer multiple pictures of the same puppy in an attempt to convince you. A fake breeder will not have such information; however, this information can be falsified. Our team provides quality posts, in-depth articles, interviews, product reviews, and more. There are specific puppy scams that you should be aware of (like the ones listed above). There are also warning signs that are in almost all puppy scams that you can learn to spot. You also need to look at how much of a discount they are offering. Luckily, these sites offer a handy search feature for contact details, names, and website names (depending on the site). Use image search services such as Google or TinEye to do a reverse-image search to find out if a picture has been posted elsewhere on the internet. Home » How to Spot a Puppy Scam . This is most common with Facebook ads. This allows you to see if this puppy would be well suited for your family and living situation. An email can also be used to avoid a face to face meeting, show a puppy, and allows the scammer to think of a thorough reply. A woman found an online ad to adopt a puppy from a family for free and she'd only have to pay for shipping, which she did, but the costs kept increasing (extra payment for faster shipping, dog's health insurance, etc.) Don’t allow yourself to be fooled by a seller with multiple pictures. Write CSS OR LESS and hit save. Get selected articles delivered right to your email. This can happen any time, but you'll often see it during the holidays when people are more emotional about finding a new family pet. They may have no dogs and be trying to receive a payment before you become wise to their tricks. Create, run and manage your breeder website using reliable tools. The seller say they wish to rehome the dog and you only need to pay for the shipping. One of the quickest ways to identify puppy scams is using seller's posted photos to see if they were published elsewhere. Again, you want that meet-and-greet and nothing less. Subscribe . If you’re buying a puppy online, you need to know how many scammers there are out there. The breeder has a waiting list for their puppies. While we provide informational If all you get are fluffy, non-specific answers, that is a red flag. Receive our FREE 7-day course to a much better breeding + a boatload of super freebies! They can also research the breeder they are attempting to impersonate, or at least impersonating their sale, and learn more background facts. 10 Signs of Puppy Scams 1. They... French dogs occupy a space in more and more American hearts. How to Spot a Puppy Scam. This website promises their customers that they have zero tolerance for puppy mills or substandard breeding practices, and that all of their puppies are “raised with love by breeders who are held to industry-leading standards.” PuppySpot screens and vets all the breeders they work wit… While the internet can be an amazing place to shop, learn new things, and connect with friends, it is also a haven for scam artists. From all your contact with the individual to all the contact information, this form requires a lot of depth. If no such number appear on cellphone company records, it is burner number. The seller asks for wired transfer of money or payment by gift cards If it is either very steep or very low, be cautious, and look into why that is. How to spot a puppy scammer. Specific dog selling websites may require more details of proof by the breeder or of the puppies. One-off litter or professional dog breeder? Why don’t you hear more? Reliable breeders take responsibility for and have confidence in their dogs. A simple solution to avoid puppy scammers is to not wire money. This website details identification of scammers along with all the current scammers reported and their identification details. Our bestselling ebook helps you start and manage your dog breeding adventure from day one. Product availability and prices for Amazon Products displayed on this page are updated every half an hour and are subject to change. After they sell the dog to you, they may want to see how the pup adapts to your space, other pets and household residents. To give a quick summary, check for bluntness, money orientation, and a lack of welfare. Sometimes people think that just because references were provided, that everything is on the up and up. Puppy scams are more well-known for taking a buyers money and never having a puppy in the first case. Make that first visit to the area where the dogs live. Of course, breeders want to know that their time is not being wasted. Finally, puppy contracts are a good sign of a breeder that knows what they are doing. Never trust a breeder who only talks via e-mail! Both regulated and unregulated sites exist which report puppy scams. The Price is Fantastic! We want to show you what to be aware of and how to avoid puppy scammers so you don’t have to worry. This is most likely nothing to worry about, it may just be an easy form of payment. To spot an online dating scammer, look out for any request for money or personal information such as your home address or bank details, since this is a sign they’re trying to extort money out of you. So many businesses communicate through email, so why should it be a warning sign? There is no reason for a puppy in good health to be given away for a discount unless they have aged a considerable amount. 2. You visit a reputable newspaper or online classifieds website. How do you Find if a Breeder is Registered. This could give them the chance to convince you to pay them a deposit and allow them to slip away. and she kept paying until Delta Airline informed her she's been scammed. You can help another person or family avoid a heartache and losing money. Breeding Business is a platform dedicated to ethical dog breeding around the world. However, it isn’t always possible to travel and drop off a deposit. 2. This is because they are of show-quality as opposed to pet-quality. Scammers often target people in their late teens and twenties; At least 80% of online pets sales ads and websites are fake; Western Union and MoneyGram are the primary outlets used by fraudsters; Most victims are from the U.S., Canada and Australia; U.S. states with most scams are California, Texas, Florida and New York; Most scammers are from Cameroon, West Africa; The average amount victims lose is $300, but in some cases it was up to $5,000; Most popular breeds are the ones most likely to be found on these fake ads (e.g. To how to spot a puppy scammer tricks up close, and website names ( depending on backlog. Not a scam information, this is by citing shipping complications you can gather buckets of information from people about. Photo elsewhere online, you can disprove scamming claims during discussions use these in. Ads that display a sense of urgency so if a dog normally sold a... 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