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When you are shopping online for a pet, be careful not to be lured into a pet scam! Imagine finding the perfect pet for your child or home in an advert online and showing it to them. Excited, you get in touch with the seller only to lose money and never get the pet.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) in the US, estimates that 80% of sponsored searches for pet sales may be fraudulent. They advertise animals they DO NOT own. More online advertising was noted during holiday seasons and COVID-19 travel restrictions.
The BBC reports that 70% of all online buyers fall victims to pet scams and lose their money. 2019-2020 saw a reported average loss of $650 per pet scam victim.
Action Fraud in the UK reported 280,000 pounds were lost in two months through pet scams.
They use clever tactics to get your attention. These are:
You are on the internet when you see a nice pet photo and click on it. You find the full image looks even better. It is exactly the pet you wanted.
You look at the price and get even more excited. It’s a bargain! Even if you pay for shipping, that price is unbeatable! You want to save your money and still get that pet you always wanted. This is a two-for-one deal! It’s too good to pass.
So, you contact the seller and verify that they have the one you want at the price listed. It’s all good! The seller is professional in answering your questions. They ask about your home and if you have experience with pets.
They then direct you to their transporter of choice who is an experienced pet shipper. The transporter has a website that even allows you to track progress as the pet is shipped to you! This could not get any better, you think. Everything has been thought out and systems put in place!
Nothing seems shady so far, so you want to make the payment. They are so reasonable as to allow you to pay a percentage first, then clear the payment when your pet arrives. Sounds fair. You make the payment. It’s usually MoneyGram or Western Union.
As soon as you pay, you start getting endless issues that cause delivery delays. This is when warning signs light up in your head. From pet food, to insurance, to veterinary care, and even suggestions of a special crate for the pet! And these delays need you to send more money to be sorted out.
By now, you can feel something fishy is going on but they still sound like legitimate pet issues. So you play it safe. You suggest that they take care of those small expenses, which you can reimburse at delivery.
That’s when the threats roll in. The animal could die if you do not send money and that you, the buyer, could be charged with animal abandonment. Animal abandonment is a real crime but does not apply in this situation. Of course, they are counting on you not knowing that.
Truth is, there never was any pet like you saw in the photo. The photo was lifted from another legit site. And that's why your pet will never arrive. You have been scammed!
The transport company you were referred to belongs to the scammer. Such sites are aptly named non-delivery fraud websites. It makes them appear professional, real, and knowledgeable of their business. But they are fraudsters and never deliver!
They insisted on payment systems that have zero to nil chances of reversing transactions and getting refunds!
The issues causing the delay of your delivery are the icing on the scammers' cake. They earn the scammers extra cash on top of your initial deposit.
Contact your bank/ credit card issuer if you gave your credit card details.
Report all pet fraud scams to:
