BEWARE of SCAMMERS page
This page will be a work in progress,
as I come across new scams, I will try to update this page.
Take a few minutes of your time to read and look at this page. It could save you some hard earned $$$. There are so many scams out there on the net today. You hear about them all the time. Here are some I have found to be so common, I almost see these on a daily basis! So much that I decided to make a page about it. I hope it helps!
The most common scam
The $150-$300 dollar dog!
You see an ad for the most amazingly beautiful puppy!!! Its gorgeous! The price is unbelievably cheap! Most want at least 1200-2500 for a dog like that!!! This person is only asking $150-300!!!!! Compared to those other breeders charging 1200 and up, its a GREAT DEAL at only $150-300 and that includes shipping?? WOW!! Shipping alone cost that much! What an amazing deal right???
WRONG!!!!!!
I don't want to just tell you about the scam. I want you to see it for yourself. Here is one I just found today (I didn't even have to look hard since this site has at least 6 scam ads on the first few pages EVERYTIME I visit). This is an actual screenie from the site. If you look at any place that advertises puppies for sale, you will see at least one of these ads on almost any day!
Here we are. Scrolling through the many ads listed on a puppies for sale site. We see a nice cream female who is expecting puppies and the puppies will be for sale for 900. We also see an older puppy for sale for 400 (notice it doesn't say that included shipping?). Then right there in the middle, that cute little cream/white puppy. Oh look, its ONLY 300, and that INCLUDES shipping! Oh MAN! What a deal! Lets click on that one and see the details!!!! Its such a great deal!!!! Lets email that person right away so we don't miss out on this GREAT DEAL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We click on the add there and then we see this screen
OH look Shipping included~
Wow, full AKC too? What a STEAL!!!
Notice this person is a new member~
No phone #? another bad sign~
All info sounds very good here~
Lets email them~
Helen has more listings? Lets click
So This is more of the ad. Take notice of the parts I have highlighted in red. These are some ways to spot a scammer. This works on all sites. This site I have screenied is actually a great site, and usually these scams are removed with hours of being reported. They even include a report button. Many LOCAL advertising places do not even try to keep the scammers off their site. I of course reported this. However, this scammer will simply repost the ad over and over and over from various IP addresses and emails as it is a RING of thieves, it is not usually just one person involved in scamming you.
When I clicked on Helens name to see her other listings this is what we see:
Helen has more listings?
Amazing she has 50 other listing. One listing for EVERY breed? Wow, thats alot of dogs!!!
When we click to see all the listings we see that this advertiser has 50 posted listings. One for each breed. All the pictures are of the CUTEST puppies. The pictures posted are ALL STOLEN. Usually from REPUTABLE breeders. NONE Of these dogs are really for sale. They are simply 'BAIT' to get your money! You will NEVER get the puppy as there is no real puppy. Just STOLEN pictures of cute puppies.
When we mail the person. Here is a copy of what they sent.
Most scammers have a similar story to this (out of country, must ship dog):
I wrote:
I love this puppy! Can I come view it today?
They wrote me right back!
(usually they reply in minutes! They sit next to the pc after posting ads because they know it will be removed shortly. They want to reply to EVERYONE that comes in asp before the ad is gone.)
Their reply, read carefully:
From: Helen Abron (abronhelen@yahoo.com)
Sent: Sun 4/11/10 2:55 PM
To: usnthezoo@msn.com
You're lucky to have mailed at this time because the puppy has just been placed on
adoption by one of my customers, who went on a Missionary transfer with the West African
Missionaries, West Africa . he is giving the pup up for adoption for $300 because he cant
take good care of the pup due to his busy and tight schedule at church and at his
missionary work. All he wants is someone that's homely and a caring person to adopt this
young and lovely human best friend." he will give the Puppy to you if you promise to take
good care of the puppy. he needs a neat and caring home for his puppy because he really
wants the puppy to go to a good home. If you are willing to take the puppy contact the
Reverend at ( revgeorgescout@gmail.com
Thanks
This is what we mail the "Reverend":
I hear you have a pom puppy for sale for 300.00. Can you please give me more information? Thanks.
This is his reply:
Re: pom puppy
From: Reverend George Scout (revgeorgescout@gmail.com)
Sent: Sun 4/11/10 9:06 PM
To: Doniqua Hoffman (usnthezoo@msn.com)
Hello
My name is Reverend George Scout,Yes the puppy is still up for adoption.May the peace of the Lord be with you.I am in the climax of my missionary training which I am very happy about.I was posted to Nigeria(West Africa) for a missionary assignment which will round up my missionary school.My love for God has changed so many life's and brought hope to the lost.My puppy is A kc reg and ready for a good home.She is potty trained,loves kids and other domestic pets and up to date with all her shots,also vet checked and medically certified.Due to its my first time of coming to Nigeria,i needed someone to keep me company.I came along with Nina to keep me company.Presently my busy schedules and travels all over Nigeria is not given me the chance to take care of Nina.I am really not happy about adopting Nina out and Nina is not happy but really have no choice.I have prayed to God about this and I still waiting for the right person to take perfect care of Nina for me.My puppy's name is Nina and she is 12wks.I am in search for a good and caring person for Nina.I am presently in west Africa Nigeria with the puppy.I will be giving Nina out for free but $300 will be need for her shipping,handling and other charges for shipment to commence.If interested in giving Nina a good home get back to me with your full shipping information which includes your
Full Name............?
Address........................?
City...................................?
State..................................?
Zip code............................?
Telephone number.............?
Closest International Airport.............?
Also give me a possibility and prove that Nina will be care for Contact phone number You can reach me. Call Now .Cell 011-234-805-803-9541 or +234-702-963-2643
Thanks And God bless
Reverend George Scout
This reply really bothers me. Not only do they scam, but they do it in Gods name? Notice the excuse they use about why they need to get rid of the dog and 'ship' it. They pretend to be religious to gain a false sense of trust. Some scammers will also send a pretend 'form' to fill out by you, to trick you into thinking they actually have a dog they care about. It may ask how many kids you have, or what kind of home you live in, ect. All this is a mask to gain trust so they can take your money. Then of course they want your personal info so they can arrange shipping. They don't need ANYTHING from you, but the pretend to. All they want is for you to send them the money. At this point, you need to RUN away and realize this is a scam.
I have now read a few pages out there about DOG SCAMS and it is said that the scam doesn't even stop after you send the money for this NON EXISTANT PUPPY. It seems after you send the $100-300.00. They will then try to milk you for more money. They may say they need $$ for difficulty with he airline, some bogus made up international taxes, some even go so far as to send letters from the authorities saying your being charged with criminal activities because you sent the scammer money! Some even try to get you to pay for a phoney lawyer! These extra charges are anywhere from an additional 100 to up to 1,000!!~I have never sent money to these people. So these facts are based on many other stories I have found on the net regarding scams just like this one.
- Scammer post ADORABLE puppy pictures, but never adults.
- The puppy is super CHEAP (offer to good to be true) so it gets your attention!
- They never include a phone # in the ad
- Ads are usually set up on NEW accounts, created that day
- They may have one to four stolen pictures of a puppy they post
- They make excuses when NEW pictures of that puppy can't be sent on request
- Shipping is included in advertised price (price is unrealistically low)
- Replies include reasons why the puppy must be shipped, or given away
- Shipping is usually from another country
- The contact # is not a USA phone number
- Reasons they need to 'give away the dog" religious relocations, emergencies
- The scammer is usually in another country for some legit sounding reason
- They say shipping will be arranged to your airport
- They want you to send $$$, asking you to "Wire" it to them.
- They promise once they get $$$ puppy will be shipped
- Once you send $$ they will demand more money for taxes, flight difficulties, custom difficulties, ect.
Clues that ad may be a SCAM ad:
How to avoid an online scam:
- The easiest way is to not buy online
- Buy only from a local REPUTABLE BREEDER
- Always meet the BREEDER and some of their adult dogs
If you do decide to buy ONLINE:
- Always ask for pictures of the parents
- Ask for information on the parents
- Ask for NEW pictures of the advertised puppy
- Ask for a video of the puppy
- Ask for references
- Ask for the phone # of the vet they use, call that vet
- Look them up on GOOGLE by email or full name
- If they have a website, see if pictures of parents are included there
- On a website be sure they email you using matches the one on the site
- Some scammers pretend to be the site owner, but use a different email
- Call them and be sure the # is USA #.
Champion lines for this price?? ~
Show potential to? What a deal!!!~
