TULSA, Okla. — It’s so easy to fall in love when you see that playful little bundle of fur and scammers are counting on that to put the squeeze on your wallet.
Lori Hayes felt an instant attachment to the puppy in an ad. She found 10-week-old Barbie offered online and reached out. She said the seller claimed, “I’m hundred percent legit. No scam, I promise you.”
Hayes missed the first clue this could be a scam.
“They wouldn’t take credit card, they would only take Zelle or gift cards. So at this point, I’m desperate. I sent them the money. It was $650 for the dog and $250 for shipping. I sent it through Zelle so they had $900.”
Two days later she received an urgent email saying they need an additional $980.
“I want this dog, so I Zelle them the money.”
Hayes then received a flight number to ship the puppy and another urgent message. “Stating there are customs fees for the dog at JFK airport. I think that was $1,500.”
Hayes called that airport. A worker confirmed no fee like that existed, but according to Hayes, the wasn’t letting up.
“They said your dog is stuck in the pound, it’s not getting food, it’s not getting taken care of, the conditions are horrible at the airport and it’s your fault because you’re not paying this $1,500 fee that the airport had supposedly implemented in keeping the dog on top of the $1,700-$1,800 I already paid them
When Hayes stopped sending money the scammer stopped responding to her.
“I’m thinking I’m getting a pug, my hopes were so high that someone would knock on the door with a new puppy, and it was just a scam.”
A scam that cost consumers an estimated $3 million last year.
The Better Business Bureau’s scam tracker estimates 70 percent of people targeted by pet scams lose money. The median loss is $750 dollars.
It cautions up to 80 percent of sponsored search links for pet sales may be fraudulent.
There is an easy way to vet these sites is by checking the photos.
- The BBB recommends doing a reverse image and Google and see how many other websites are using that photo. If it shows up multiple places it’s a good indicator the sites may not be legitimate.
- Check out the contact information and business address. Phony pet sellers sometimes use random real addresses that are not connected to them, so they appear legitimate.
- if you’re looking for a pet visit your local shelter or animal rescue organization.
- If you want a particular breed look up breeders through the American Kennel Club instead of browsing online ads.
- Beware of sellers insisting you pay with gift cards or bank apps that transfer cash. It is hard if not impossible to recover your money if the deal turns out to be a scam.
Contact the Problem Solvers:
- 918-748-1502
- problemsolvers@kjrh.com
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