While pet scams aren’t new, they have gained traction in recent years, especially during the first several months of the pandemic.
In fact, the Better Business Bureau’s 2021 Scam Tracker Risk Report found that so-called puppy scams topped the list of products most used to perpetrate online purchase scams. In 2020, the BBB received 4,300 complaints about online pet scams, an increase of 129% from the 1,870 complaints received in 2019.
Out hundreds of dollars
Fraudulent animal sales can take on many forms, but the most common include animals that never materialize after paying hundreds of dollars or pets with a myriad of health problems. Both types of scams have been reported to the Iowa Attorney General’s office in recent years, a news release says.
One Iowa consumer, Shelly Smith, reported recently that a website her family found offered French bulldog puppies for sale. She decided to purchase two, sending $999 through online payment company Zelle. While the company in question sent several photos of the puppies and answered her calls, she notes that things eventually took a turn.
“After payment, they sent shipping information using Flourish pet transport website that wanted more money for an electronic crate that would then be refunded when we got the puppies from them at the Waterloo Airport,” she said.
However, the transportation crate was never part of the bill of sale and the family never received the puppies. Because…
