Although we’re not in the peak of pandemic puppy purchases, consumer losses to this sort of scam are still expected to exceed $2 million by the end of the year.
Notably, that total is down by a third since the pandemic peak of more than $3 million in 2020-2021, according to BBB Scam Tracker.
While the number of cases are dropping, average monetary losses are climbing, with an average loss of $850 in 2022, up 60 per cent since 2017.
BBB has tracked this scam style since 2017, when it issued an in-depth study, Puppy Scams: How Fake Online Pet Sellers Steal from Unsuspecting Pet Buyers.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) has logged 247 reports of pet scams in 2022 so far — a loss of about $217,453.
Pet scams historically make up a quarter of all online shopping frauds reported to BBB and are on track to be about 18 per cent this year. Because purchasing a pet can be such an emotionally charged experience, BBB urges consumers to be on high alert for scams.
"It's easy to be swept up in the emotions of the moment when buying a pet and push forward regardless of red flags," says President and CEO Simone Lis, BBB serving Mainland BC.
"Especially as we near the end of the year and all the gift giving that happens in December, it is prime time for scammers to make a quick buck."
How the scam works
Puppy scammers lure people in with fake websites, promises of cute puppies, then ask for more money for shipping, insurance or special crates. BBB Scam Tracker reports show that those who tried to purchase pets without seeing them in person, sent funds via hard-to-track payment methods like payment apps, or accepted extra charges such as shipping insurance or special crates are at an increased risk of being scammed.
Many bogus puppy websites, often registered outside of North America, appear and vanish quickly, hampering law enforcement efforts. Prosecutions in puppy scam cases are tough to crack, as perpetrators are often outside of the country.
Yorkies, Dachshunds and French Bulldogs make up nearly 30 per cent of all puppy scams, according to 2022 BBB Scam Tracker reports. Consumers did however mention more than 40 breeds, meaning that buyers should be cautious when shopping for any breed online.
How to avoid pet scams
Visit and inspect the pet yourself by arranging to meet with the prospective seller in person. Most legitimate breeders welcome the visit and you can ask as many questions as you want directly to the breeder.
Never send money via wire transfer to people or companies you don't know and trust. Once money is wired, it is gone for good. The same goes for prepaid debit cards or gift cards. Always use a credit card in case you need to dispute the charges. If anyone asks you to pay for anything with a gift card, you may be dealing with fraud.
Search the internet for the picture of the pet you are considering. If the same picture appears on multiple websites, it may be a fraudulent site. Consider searching for text from ads or testimonials to see if the seller copied it from another site or if they're hosting multiple ad sites.
Research prices for the breed you are interested in adopting or purchasing. If someone advertises a purebred dog for free or at a deeply discounted price, it probably isn't true. If the content on the page states they register the dogs with a specific organization or registry, confirm it by contacting the registry or organization directly.
Find out what other consumers are saying. Check BBB Scam Tracker and conduct an internet search on the breeder’s or organization's name. Double check if there is a profile listing of the business or the breeder listed as an Accredited Business on BBB.org.
Consider visiting the local animal shelter. Many shelters are looking for fosters to help relieve animal stress and reduce overcrowding at their facilities. You could be giving a Christmas miracle to an older animal or one that went through a traumatizing experience.
Think you've been scammed?
You can learn more about how to protect against pet and holiday scams by visiting the BBB's website.
As well, you can contact:
- BBB Scam Tracker to report a fraud online
- Canadian Anti-fraud Centre
- Online or call 1-888-495-8501 for scams involving Canada
- Your credit card issuer
- Report the incident if you shared your credit card number, even if the transaction was not completed
- Monitor your statements and if you suspect fraud, ask for a refund
- Petscams.com
- The site tracks complaints, catalogues puppy scammers and endeavours to get fraudulent pet sales websites taken down
