Dogs
There are online dog adoption scams that can be dangerous. Scammers have been around since the dawn of time, taking advantage of trusting individuals to get what they want. In the age of the internet, scamming has taken on a whole new – and more dangerous – identity. Whether they're posing as a sheik from a far-off country interested in sharing a fortune with you or an interested Craig's List buyer who will authorize a deposit to your Paypal account just as soon as you forward the $500 shipping and handling fee for courier services, scammers are everywhere.
Scammers have even worked their way into the pet space. Sadly, con artists have been stealing dogs and re-selling them to unsuspecting adopters for years. Now sites like Craig's List, where found dogs are listed in hopes they might be reunited with their owners, have made it even easier for these con artists to procure the dogs they resell by posing at the owner.
The staff at Embrace Pet Insurance has even been pulled into a pet adoption scam. Here's how the scam we identified works: a scammer on Craig's List, Facebook, or E-bay is “selling” a purebred puppy or kitten - often for free or at a deeply discounted price for the breed. The eager adopter pays the “breeder” and then gets a notice saying the dog is being held at the airport because it is required to have insurance in order to travel. The adopter is told they must send an additional sum of money for the required insurance before the dog can be released.
This particular scam that we identified actually used Embrace Pet Insurance's name - making it look like the email about the additional fee for the “required” pet insurance policy came from us. When our Customer Care staff gets a call to check on the validity of this claim, we sadly have to inform the eager adopter that they've been scammed. Unfortunately, even those who make the call to us and learn that they've been scammed may have lost hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars along with the hope of the dog they were so eager to make a member of their family.
The staff at Embrace loves pets and their people and we hate seeing eager potential dog adopters scammed, which is why Darcy Lindner, a concerned member of our Customer Care team, has come up with these 10 tips to avoid pet scams:
Adopting a new dog is an exciting time. Do your research and don't cut corners during the adoption process. Your best bet is to find an ethical breeder or a reputable local rescue group or shelter.
Have you heard about a pet adoption scam – or worse, gotten caught up in one? Share your story in the comments to pass along your knowledge to other adopters. Share your comments below.
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