"Dogs are not our whole lives, but they help make our lives whole."
-Roger Caras

Copyright Notice

My tips for BUYERS to avoid being scammed:

1. PLACE DEPOSITS WITH CREDIT CARDS OR PAYPAL ONLY:  
   At this time, I highly recommend that you only use a credit card or PayPal (but not PayPal's "Friends and Family" option) to send a deposit for a puppy. You can file a dispute and get your money back if the seller isn't a real breeder.
   ***If using a credit card, do not give your card information to the seller. If you can't enter it into a secure page/form, don't use your card.*** Verbally giving your credit card info to a stranger over the phone is absolutely a no-no!

2. NO WIRE TRANSFERS or any Bank-to-Bank transfer (Western Union, Walmart transfers, etc.) Sending money through an automatic wire transfer, as mentioned above, is not safe! As soon as you send it, that money is gone...never to be returned to you no matter how much evidence you have of a scam.

3. No Zelle. No CashApp. I think Venmo is out, too, but I'm not familiar with Venmo. Personal checks?  If a fraudster cashes your check and lives 1,200 miles away, are you going to pursue trying to find them to get your money back?

4. NO PREPAID GIFT OR DEBIT/CREDIT CARDS! If they ask you to send these, they are probably scammers! Once you send those and they have them, your money is lost.

5. RESEARCH! You won't have to worry about being scammed if you search for a reputable breeder that has been raising puppies for an extended period of time.
   
   Honestly...go old school. Search for breeder web sites.
   Not just classified ads.
   Not just Social Media.
   
   Research your breeder's web site to ensure that they have been in business for several years. Do scammers create web sites?  Yes, they do. But, this is one step in verifying that they aren't just a scammer, as many won't invest much time into their fake web site.
    
   Fake Facebook profiles are so easy to make, and are a prime way to misrepresent identity to steal from others. If you use Facebook as a research method, look for:
   *How long has their Facebook page for their puppies been online?
   *Do other people often comment on the page about their own puppy, which they bought in the past from that seller?

How Do Scammers Succeed? Some examples:

STOLEN PHOTOS of puppies used by scammers to steal deposits/payments for puppies

Unsafe methods of deposits/payments, which can't be disputed by the buyer (see above)

Charging a lot for shipping, saying you'll get part of that refunded.

• In today's cases, the "scammer" communicated frequently with the buyers via both telephone calls and texts/messaging, which led them to believe they were dealing with a legitimate person. In the past, scammers typically communicated only through email, but now it appears they are in the US and willing to even talk on the phone.

• Often/usually, the sellers wanted their money through wire transfer, Zelle, Money*Gr@m (sorry, can't use that actual spelling or they contact me to remove it), gift cards, prepaid debit cards, or PayPal "Friends and Family." The fake sellers want money that is instant and can't be reversed. They wanted MoneyGr@ms (such as through Wal-Mart...I can't use the real spelling because it's copyrighted) or Western Union wire transfers, or PayPal "friends and family" because once they get their money from those methods, it is theirs. Boom.
  It can't be disputed and recovered by the sender of the money.

VARIATION:  "BREEDER" PRETENDING TO BE AN ACTUAL BREEDER, USING A REAL BREEDER'S NAME

• This scam is less common, but has begun. A "seller" pretends to be the real breeder and uses the real breeder's advertisements. I believe this is only possible with a hacked account. I actually haven't figured this one out, but have just heard from someone that experienced it from a hacked AKC Marketplace ad.

Other References

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/dog-breeding/breeders-beware-puppy-scams-rise/

https://www.akc.org/expert-advice/news/spot-puppy-scam/

https://www.ipata.org/current-pet-scams  (A good read!)

SELLERS/BREEDERS:  You must avoid being scammed, too!

1. Accept deposits via credit card/PayPal. Get a signature at the time the puppy is picked up, acknowledging the buyer took possession of the puppy. Take a picture of the buyers with the puppy before they leave.

2. Require cash for the remainder when the puppy is picked up, not PayPal/credit card. It's safe for both parties....you have your payment (in cash), and they have their puppy.
   If full payment is made via credit card or PayPal, again...get a signature of the buyer and photos of the buyer with the puppy as proof that they picked the puppy up.