BBB Investigates Fake Online Pet Sellers

Looking to add a new furry member to your family this year? Every year, pet-purchasing scams cost consumers hundreds of thousands of dollars. Scammers often build websites using stolen photos and content from reputable sellers. They promise to send a puppy to you after money has been wired, but will add on additional fees or disappear completely after you have paid a certain amount of money.

In many situations, scammers will also tell the victims that their pet is stuck at the airport or were put on the wrong flight, resulting in a request for even more money to deliver the pet safely. By the time the victim realizes that no pet is coming, it’s often too late.

Due to the alarming number of reports of this kind of scam on BBB Scam Tracker, Better Business Bureau International Investigations Initiative conducted an extensive report of online puppy scams.

“The report exposes some very alarming facts regarding pet scams and particularly focuses on fake websites advertising the sales of puppies,” says Paula Fleming, spokesperson for the local BBB. “It offers deep insight into a growing crime that is impacting tens of thousands of consumers across the globe.”

For the full report including the scope of this problem, who is behind it, and the need for law enforcement consumer education to address the issue, visit go.bbb.org/puppyscam. There consumers can also find tips for avoiding pet-purchasing scams such as these and reliable resources for those who have fallen victim to them.

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