Puppy scam preys on innocent holiday shoppers
A new scam is tugging at the heartstrings of prospective pet owners this holiday season.
Meet Tom
“I couldn’t wait to get this dog,” said Tom Massmann.
Massmann first started looking online, then pet stores, rescues, and finally a last resort – Craigslist.
“I found this ad for a Golden Retriever puppy that was only 8 weeks old,” he said. “A cute, cute dog.”
The so-called owner and Massmann sorted out the details via text.
“It was incredibly believable,” he said.
“The more that she sent me things back, I figured she’s spending this time so she must be legit,” Massmann said.
Here’s the catch: the offer was $400 for a purebred Golden Retriever puppy, including all vaccinations and shipping costs.
Cheap right? Well, it got worse.
Massmann had to pay a $200 shipping fee upfront via Walmart gift cards. Scammers do that because the payment is untraceable. That’s the scam.
“It was totally heartbreaking for me…” he said.
But it wasn’t just heartbreak for Massmann. Scammers were also after his personal information.
The so-called owner gave him a “Change of Ownership” paper, pictured below.
“She needed my name… my address… my telephone number… my email,” he said.
A bogus form that also had a giant misspelling.
Det. Jon Price, with the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office explains mistakes like that are immediate red flags.
“Scammers frequently try to send documents to fool us,” said Price.
Another tip – if you’re set on a certain pup, ask to see it LIVE via FaceTime or Skype. If the so-called owner can’t or uses an excuse, be skeptical.
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