Be Wary of Pet Adoptions Scams

As Americans adapted and stayed at home at the beginning of COVID-19, a wave of pet adoptions also rose to provide companions. However, this also paved the way for scammers to make fraudulent schemes. Please beware of the recent Pet Adoption Scams!

Recently, a scammer pretended as a cat breeder and swindled and deceived a lot of consumers. 

A victim from Arizona confirmed that paid $2,000 for adoption, vaccines, shipping, city permit, and an additional request for $1,000 for COVID-related fees. 

Fraud.org said that pet adoption scams increased 42% this year. Scammers created websites, posing as breeders or adoption agencies. Moreover, they are utilizing stock photos of adorable pets to attract consumers.

In most cases, the victim doesn’t live in the area, thus, being unable to see the pet in person. This is a very grave mistake because in almost every case, the animal is inexistent. However, the money that the consumers paid was finally given to the scammers.

Reports revealed that these pet scams fall in a consistent pattern. Once the victim picked a particular dog or cat, they will be informed about how much it costs to possess the pet. A victim revealed this pricing:

• To pay $500 to ship the puppy via American Airlines;
• To pay $970 for a crate to ship the puppy safely;
• To pay $1,500 for insurance to make sure the puppy arrived safely;
• To pay $760 for the puppy’s shots.

According to reports, the fake breeder asked the victim to issue the first payment through a Reloadit money card and the following payments through Western Union. These two payments are red flags that you’re falling into a scammer scheme. Scammers will not opt for a payment from a credit card because of its fraud protection.

The best way for consumers to prevent from falling into these scams is to only adopt a pet they’ve personally seen. Take note that it’s not wrong to ask questions.

Lastly, consumers can opt to adopt a pet from a local animal shelter. The animals there are well taken care of and costs lower.

Editor’s note on The Rise of Pet Adoption Scams Amid the Covid Pandemic:

This piece is to inform you about The Rise of Pet Adoption Scams Amidst the Pandemic.

For further information and more recent COVID updates, don’t hesitate to send an email to Outreach@ConsiderTheConsumer.com, find us on Twitter or Facebook, or even connect with us directly on our website! We look forward to hearing from you all.

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