Daily, we are bombarded with scams. Texts, phone calls, Facebook friend requests you never know what to trust. Is that person claiming to be a relative really need to be bailed out of jail? Do I really have a long lost Uncle leaving me $10,000 in his will?
With the increased interest in getting a puppy due to the pandemic, the number of puppy and dog scams has exploded. Fake puppy sellers are showing up on social media.
Fake breeders are advertizing pure breed puppies for sale, they often will use photos from legitimate breeders.
The American Kennel Club has a page to help you determine the legitimacy of a breeder.
When looking for a puppy or new dog there are a few things to consider:
- Do you know the person or organization that you are getting your puppy/dog from?
- Did you get a referral from someone you know and trust?
- Did you find the breeder on the AKC website or the Breed Clubs website? (every official breed will have a breed club that you can find on the AKC site). This is the link for the Golden Retriever Club of America website. (As an example)
- Did you get to visit the puppy/dog before purchase?
- Could you do a Facetime or Zoom call with the seller and see the puppy/dog before purchase?
If you answered NO to all 5 questions it is a very good chance that this is a scam. There are lots of dogs available from legitimate sources, don't fall for a pretty face on a photo or video!