Woman loses $4,000 to puppy scam

Kerri McIntosh is simply a "dog person" who couldn't assistance but autumn successful emotion erstwhile she recovered a Doberman puppy for merchantability successful a Facebook canine lover's group.

"The pistillate selling it said this is the price, it includes shipping, and it is $1,300," McIntosh said.

That was really a tenable terms for a purebred.

But arsenic soon arsenic she sent the money, utilizing a integer outgo app, the breeder needed much money.

"She needed $750 for a crate," McIntosh said.

The seller past requested hundreds much for vaccinations, security and a licence to vessel the dog.

McIntosh started to worry, but by past she had truthful overmuch invested, she kept paying.

In the end, she says, "I sent $4,800."

And arsenic soon arsenic she sent the past payment, the expected breeder disappeared.

Scammers enactment via Facebook, Craigslist, oregon slick websites

McIntosh had go the latest unfortunate of a puppy scam that besides took $800 from Denise Alvarez, who was trying to bargain a Havanese puppy from a breeder's website.

She recovered the canine done Google.

The breeder had a website filled with photos and descriptions of dogs.

After sending $800 done a outgo app connected her phone, the seller stopped answering her texts and emails.

"My hubby and I looked astatine each different and said Christmas is going to beryllium precise slim this year," Alvarez said.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) issued an alert astir puppy scams, saying it has received respective 1000 complaints nationwide since the pandemic began.

How to debar a puppy scam

The BBB says radical tin support themselves by:

• Using a section breeder who tin put an in-person meeting
• Searching a breeder for reviews and complaints
• Being suspicious of breeders connected Craigslist oregon Facebook who don't person a thoroughfare code and telephone number
• Avoiding outgo done untraceable means, including Zelle oregon Venmo
  

The BBB's Sara Kemerer says radical tin besides inquire out-of-town breeders to bash a video chat with the puppy.
"Ask the seller to bash a video telephone oregon a FaceTime, conscionable to marque definite that the breeder is existent and that the favored is real," she said.

A scammer, typically utilizing stolen photos of puppies they don't own, won't hold to the chat.

Kerri McIntosh and Denise Alvarez present privation to pass different favored lovers.

"It's hard, I saved for astir a twelvemonth to get that dog," McInstosh said.

The worst part, she says, was uncovering retired that she would ne'er conscionable the puppy she had fallen successful emotion with online.

So beryllium careful, and don't discarded your money.

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