A West African-based scheme to sell non-existent puppies and other pets to unsuspecting U.S. consumers may be significantly more organized and widespread than generally believed, according to a just-released report by Better Business Bureau.
The BBB warns that the scams are so widespread that anyone searching for a pet online is likely to encounter this fraud.
The report estimates that tens of thousands of consumers in the U.S. and around the world may have fallen victim to the scam, with prospective buyers losing anywhere from $100 to thousands of dollars each to the thieves.
Some of the victims live here in Omaha. “These are not just a smattering of isolated cases involving a few dozen naïve consumers,” said Jim Hegarty, president and CEO of the BBB serving Nebraska, South Dakota, The Kansas Plains and Southwest Iowa. “This is ongoing and sophisticated fraud that has saturated the internet and which utilizes hundreds of phony websites, photos of animals stolen from the internet and teams of international thieves, all focused on one thing, stealing your money.”
The report says that while most victims are hooked into the scam by photos of cuddly terriers, miniature bulldogs or other puppies, other consumers believed they were paying for kittens, parrots or other animals to be delivered to their homes.
The study says that thieves impersonating pet sellers instructed potential buyers to make upfront payments for shipping, insurance and other fees associated with transporting the animals. In most cases, buyers never receive the pets, and lose their money.
Among the local victims is Judy and Phil Stroy of Omaha who said they recently were duped by a scammer who took a $400 MoneyGram payment for a Beagle puppy. The Stroy's realized they had been scammed when the bogus seller asked for an additional $750 for insurance. Judy Stroy says she refused and ended the transaction after losing the $400.
Local authorities advise prospective pet owners to try local shelters and rescues before going online to purchase an animal.