“80% of sponsored pet ads may be fake,” says the Better Business Bureau.
SAN ANTONIO — According to the website Veternarians.org, the search term “puppies for sale” sees a spike in December, as family’s search for the perfect Christmas puppy.
The Better Business Bureau says you need to be aware of on-line puppy scams.
C. Cervantes wanted to share her story, so that others might not fall for a similar scam. Cervantes says she wanted to find a companion for her puppy Valentine. Cervantes’s daughter found a puppy on-line, so she contacted the breeder.
Cervantes says she came to an agreement to purchase a puppy for $500, and have it shipped to Texas. Cervantes says she even signed a contract with the breeder.
The breeders website looked legit, she says, and even had reviews. Cervantes says she sent the breeder the $500, via PayPal, under friends and family.
After sending the $500, she got a text from the shipper. Cervantes says the breeder told her that the breeder dropped the dog off in the wrong crate, so she would have to pay $800. Cervantes called the breeder, and he agreed to pay for half of the cost, but the money would be reimbursed.
Cervantes says she then sent another $425. She says they even tried to get her to pay an additional $3,200 for vet and shot fees, threatening to sue her if she didn’t pay the money.
After threatening to report them for theft, she says they stopped responding. The BBB says this is a common scam they see this time of year.
“They may be given the pet away for free or a deep discount, but they may need to be shipped and therein lines the fraud, the shipping scam.” Says Jason Meza with BBB San Antonio
Cervantes says they event go her to post ads of other animals for sale on Craigslist in exchange for waiving the other fees, but they never got the dog.
Cervantes was finally able to find Valentine a partner, this time however she drove to Corpus Christi, and picked up the dog in person.
“We ask people to never buy a pet without seeing it in person, or the breeder, or the reseller. Always try and visit in person. Always try to ask for a live video chat.” Says Meza
The BBB says you can cross check information on-line. You can also do a reverse Google image search to see if the photos were used multiple times. They also say don’t send money through a wire transfer or gift cards, always use a credit card.
For more information about pet scams or for more tips you can click here.
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