Spotting the scam
Please read this article for advice: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19299243/page/2/
Here's an excerpt from the article:
How could people fall for something like this? It’s so bizarre. In hindsight the warning signs are clear. But at the time, things are happening so quickly, victims don’t realize they’re being played by a con artist.
“When you see that cute little puppy face you tend to throw caution out the window,” says Alison Preszler of the Council of Better Business Bureaus.
- Be suspicious if the price is too low. Steer clear of anyone who wants to “give away” a purebred puppy because the dog needs a new home. A purebred is worth a lot of money.
- Avoid overseas transactions. Do you really want a puppy that’s been shipped all the way from Africa? There are plenty of puppies in this country.
- Don’t pay by wire transfer. That’s a red flag that this is a risky transaction. Once the money is wired, it’s gone, and there is no way to get it back when the puppy doesn’t arrive. The smart way to pay for any Internet purchase is with a credit card or an escrow service.
All of the victims I spoke to told me they could never talked to the breeder or seller on the phone. All communication was via e-mail. That should make you nervous.
Simplepetcare offers this service free to our users. We accept no responsibility for exchanges made between users. |
