GUEST BLOGGER
Hallie Ayres
Contributing Writer

Throughout the pandemic, as more people found themselves quarantined at home and with more time on their hands, many animal lovers turned toward the joys of new dog ownership. However, scammers quickly realized the opportunities to defraud these hopeful pet adopters and worked out a variety of ways to cheat unsuspecting customers out of hundreds of dollars.

According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), by November 2020 they had received 337 reports of dog breeder scams, in stark contrast to the 77 complaints they received in November 2019. The BBB estimates that pet breeder scams were responsible for nearly $3.1 million in losses throughout 2020, with a median loss of $750. While many online scams tend to target the elderly, about half of the reported dog breeder scams victimized aspiring puppy parents between the ages of 35 and 55.

The BBB also reports that while the majority of these scams are for puppies, with an emphasis on the French bulldog and Yorkshire terrier breeds, kittens made up 12% of the reports. During the first half of 2020, the Federal Trade Commission noted that they even received 185 complaints regarding undelivered parrots, as well as the occasional iguana.

Sit! Stay! Pay!: How dog breeder scams transpire

These scams tend to all run in a uniform fashion: scammers post stock photos of animals online, often paying to sponsor and boost their posts so that more unsuspecting customers will see it. Some fake breeders will even advertise their dogs as possessing a coveted American Kennel Club certification.

Once someone expresses interest in a puppy, the scammer will request a transfer on Zelle or CashApp, third-party money transfer services notoriously popular among fraudsters due to the limited authentication measures required to set up an account.

If a customer requests to pay by credit card instead, the scammer sends a fake online form, which delivers an error message to the customer but allows the fraudster to harvest their credit card information for other dubious means.

Fraudsters have capitalized on the pandemic conditions to boost the success rate of their devious schemes. Many swindlers will cite COVID-19 social distancing measures as reasons for why people are not allowed to pick up their already-paid-for new furry friends. After the payment has been made, the swindlers tend to charge more “unexpected” fees for fake goods and services, such as COVID-19 travel permits, climate-controlled crates, pet insurance they claim they will reimburse later, and even animal coronavirus vaccines.

How to protect yourself from these un-fur-tunate scams

The BBB, American Kennel Club and the FTC have all released a series of steps to take to avoid getting swindled by a fake pet breeder. These tips include:

Meet the breeder and see the puppy in person before sending any money. If geography poses a limitation on an in-person visit, set up a virtual video meeting.
Do a reverse Google image search on the pet’s photo. In most cases, if it’s a stock image, Google will find matches on the web.
If a breeder advertises American Kennel Club certification, call the Club to verify this status.
Be wary of breeders who request money right away and who communicate strictly through text messages.
Research common price ranges for the desired breed. If someone is offering a “purebred” dog at a drastically discounted price, that may indicate a scam.
Ask a lot of questions. Pet breeders are typically animal lovers who are overjoyed to talk about their breeds and will happily educate potential buyers. They will also be able to provide documentation of the puppy’s health records upon request.
Pay a visit to your local animal shelter to see options there. Not only will a shelter adoption likely be cheaper than a breeder, but it will also help decrease overpopulation in your local shelter.

If any of these tips alert you to a potential red flag, then chances are your dream dog is patiently waiting for you at a different, reputable breeder or shelter. Don’t let your quest for man’s best friend walk you down the path of man’s financial nightmare!

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