Coronavirus has provided lots of new opportunities for online scammers, unfortunately (Check out today's chat with Marc Saltzman). The pandemic has also caused an increase in people looking for pets. So, if you combine people wanting a puppy with shifty scammers, bad things are going to happen.
Here's an example of a dog breeder scam from The Wall Street Journal:
"Frank Todd’s beloved 17-year-old dog, a long-haired dachshund, recently died and Mr. Todd wanted a new puppy.
He couldn’t find any breeders with puppies available mid-pandemic, so he began scrolling through pictures of puppies for sale online. He eventually settled on a short-haired dachshund named Pippa.
After exchanging emails with the seller, he paid $800 using a mobile payment service. He was told to expect delivery in early August. Pippa never arrived."
It turns out Frank Todd is not alone. According to The Better Business Bureau , they've tracked more than 2,100 online pet scams in the U.S. and Canada from the middle of February to July of this year.
That number last year during the same period was 700. Some scammers build nice websites full of cute puppy pictures to lure folks in and take their money. Just look at those eyes! And those ears! Shut up and take my money already! It's probably pretty easy to dupe people with a few cute pictures.
If you are looking for a furry friend during this time, you can avoid being scammed altogether and adopt! There are plenty of great dogs, cats, and more out there who need a good loving home.
Adopt, don't shop! You'll help an animal out, and you won't get scammed. Easy! Click here to visit Clear The Shelters.
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