Pet Scams – Don’t Get Fooled by Cute Faces
How it Happens
With the coronavirus pandemic keeping everyone indoors, the demand for pets surged as people looked for companionship. Unfortunately, scammers exploited this trend to deceive innocent buyers. Most pet scams happen online—scammers clone legitimate ads, create fake websites, and use stolen pictures of pets to trick buyers. They refuse meet-ups and instead send photos/videos of pets they don’t actually own. Once trust is gained, they ask for money in the form of insurance, health checks, shipping, crates, or food—always insisting payments are non-refundable.
The Warning Signs to Look Out For
- Suspiciously low prices: Pets priced far below the normal market rate, or “free” pets with only shipping fees.
- Poorly written emails: Messages full of grammatical and spelling errors—often a major scam indicator.
- Payment method restrictions: Sellers asking only for money transfers and refusing cash or secure payments.
- No in-person meetings: Excuses to avoid meeting and seeing the pet before payment.
- Shipment delays with more charges: Continuous excuses for delays while requesting more money.
How to Avoid Pet Scams
Always look for warning signs when buying or adopting pets online. Double-check the seller’s information, verify through independent sources, and insist on meeting the pet in person before any payment. If the seller refuses, walk away—it’s better to miss out than to lose your money to a scam.