A Virginia woman lost $700 trying to purchase a Chihuahua online. When WUSA9 started asking questions, the website disappeared.
WASHINGTON — The demand for cute, cuddly puppies remains elevated since the start of the pandemic, and with it, potential scammers looking to take advantage of the unsuspecting.
In late August, Felecia Colbert was on the hunt for a pup — a friend for her Pomchi, FeeFee, and a new companion for her.
“I want her to be able to teach another dog,” Colbert said. “It’s always good to have a puppy when you have a dog.”
Her search for a new dog began with a conversation with a neighbor whom she said recently purchased a puppy on Facebook Marketplace.
“Facebook?” Colbert questioned. “That’s a scam”
Even with her reservations, she looked through Facebook Marketplace for a dog. Though she didn’t find a dog there, she landed on the website www.pupslikenoother.com. The site featured a variety of different puppies from teacup poodles to corgis. It even advertised a promotion: “Buy one puppy today for $499 and get a second for $300.”
The price also included “shipping and delivery.” It was on the website that Colbert came across Flower, a 12-week-old…
