Unfortunately scams are nothing new and with the internet becoming so widely used, internet scams are on the rise. It seems like scammers are now targeting dog and puppy lovers as well as reputable breeders. Through a little research I’ve come across a couple of versions.

One version, as seen the this story from WBZTV.com in Boston targets people looking for puppies online.

Internet scam targets puppy lovers - (WBZ) BOSTON Pet lovers are being warned about a new scam involving bogus offers for puppies.

Joy Schick recently saw a tempting newspaper ad offering a purebred Yorkshire terrier for $400.

There are signs to look for: The dogs are out of state and are deeply discounted. Usually, the purported breeder will correspond only via e-mail.

The American Kennel Club says reputable breeders will offer references and other quality assurances. (For the full story, Click here)

And here’s another version targeting reputable dog breeders, from QualityDogs.com.

Beware of Dog Breeder Scams on the Internet - Sadly, there seems to be an ever-increasing number of Internet scammers preying on just about everyone. Well, dog lovers and breeders are no exception. There is a scam currently running full-force that targets dog breeders, and you should definitely be on the lookout for suspicious communications.

Here’s how it works:

Someone contacts you and says they are interested in a puppy. They may say that they are contacting you directly, or that they are an agent of another person. Either way, they are typically outside the US. Furthermore, in the emails I have seen, they seem to refer to the puppy in an odd way, such as my employer is interested in “PUPPY” that you have for sale. Obviously, this is your first big red flag. (For the full story, Click here)

Then there are the scammers that steal pictures from reputable breeders, dog websites and places like Dogster and use those pictures to run ads for puppies on online sites such as PuppyFind.com and NextDayPets.com.

You can and should query an online site thru places like Rip-offReport.com. If you run a query for Puppyfind.com on Rip-offReport.com, you’ll find pages of complaints ranging from stolen pictures to ‘breeders’ taking money and never delivering.

Always use due diligence when purchasing something online!! Query search engines for the company name and ’scam’.

Your best bet if you want a dog or puppy is to find one through a shelter or rescue. There are many wonderful dogs desperately in need of homes. If you are looking for a breed specific dog, you can find many breed specific rescues all over the country with dogs ranging from puppy to adult. If you want to purchase a dog from a breeder be sure to find a reputable breeder. In general, most breeders do not run classified ads. Do your research!! Do not be taken in and remember, if it looks too good to be true, it is!

I want to thank my dear Dogster friend Amanda for bring the initial story to my attention. She is also a dog owner and lover. Check out her doxie ‘babies’; Roxie, Gemini & Liberty at Dogster!

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