Person Scammed With Online Listing For Puppy In Morristown: Cops

MORRISTOWN, NJ — It's a dog-eat-dog world, and that extends to puppy scams. A Westfield resident paid money for a dog in Morristown that she never received, according to authorities.

The victim tried purchasing a puppy online and made a down payment to hold the pet, Westfield police said. But the listing was little more than a dog-and-pony show. Once she tried to pick up the pooch, it became unavailable.

Police did not have more details on the fraud incident, which the victim reported Jan. 3.

There's been an increased demand for pets amid the coronavirus pandemic, and the Wall Street Journal reported in September that puppy rackets are "this year's big online scam."

Good Morning America provided three tips to avoid puppy scams:

• See the dog in person first, if it's safe.
• Consider if the price seems unusually low for a purebred.
• Always report scams to help the next person.

With reporting from Caren Lissner/Patch

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