EN
There’s little doubt that Christmas is one of the most popular times to buy a pet for a loved one, whether a puppy, kitten, or other animal companion. However, did you know that Christmas is also the single most profitable time of year for scammers who claim to sell pets that do not exist? At petscams.com, we unfortunately see an increase of up to 25% in victims in the run up to Christmas, particularly in November and December.
The reasons why consumers are more susceptible to pet scams at Christmas is not only because they really want an animal to surprise a family member with, but also because scammers during this period create very convincing websites that advertise “special Christmas offers” with images of animals wearing festive hats and other christmas related content that is tailor-made to hook unsuspecting consumers in. Therefore, our Christmas advice on behalf of the petscams.com team to help consumers during this time of the year is the following:
1) Always try and visit your desired pet in-person to check that it exists. If this is not possible, at the very least insist on a live video-chat with the breeder so that they can show you the mother and the litter.
2) Use a legitimate breeders directory, for example the American Kennel Club’s website. Most countries have one.
3) Be careful of “too good to be true” prices. Legitimate breeders will never offer huge discounts on their litters.
To quote an old nursery rhyme – “Christmas is coming, the geese are getting fat.” Don’t let scammers get fat from your money this Christmas!
This article is from Petscams.com.
