Rockford BBB: Illinois Puppy Scams Are Spiking At Holiday Time

"The Puppy Scam," or just "Puppy Scams," have been around for a while now, breaking hearts and bank accounts year after year, but if you're unfamiliar with the concept, you can break it down like this:

Puppy scams are fraudulent schemes in which scammers advertise puppies for sale online, often at really attractive prices, but the problem is that they never deliver the agreed-upon pet. These scams typically aim to steal money, personal information, or both from unsuspecting buyers, and scammers using the puppy scam have been incredibly successful.

Puppy scams happen all year round, but they're super-charged during the holiday season every year, and according to the Rockford Regional Office of the Better Business Bureau, puppy scams are going to be a big thing once again this year during the holidays.

The Puppy Scammers Know What People Want, And This Year They're Focusing On Certain Breeds To Trick Their Victims

French bulldogs, dachshunds, German shepherds.

These expensive and popular breeds are some of the most often used to lure and bring in unsuspecting targets. And it can be very hard for the average person to tell the difference between real advertisements and fake ones.

Dennis Horton, Senior Director of the BBB’s Regional Office:

“Reported incidents to our Scam Tracker show thousands of fake websites and social media pages for pet scams, including many where scammers have stolen a legitimate business’ identity to fool potential buyers. These types of scams are especially notorious because as people anticipate the arrival of a new pet and find out it was a hoax, it can break hearts and budgets with median losses topping several hundred dollars."

This Scam Happens Everywhere, And Illinois Is No Exception

In the new update titled, “Found the perfect French bulldog online? BBB says it may not exist,” The Better Business Bureau examines patterns of reports, reviews the amount of money lost and shares stories from those caught up in the scams so consumers can avoid them.

Here are two stories from Illinois:

• A Glencoe woman was looking for a cat and found a website with great reviews and photos, so she paid a deposit. The website had no location information, and required the animal to be shipped, but she was so happy to find the cat that she proceeded. Then, she was asked to pay other fees because the kitten was supposedly stuck in transit. After sending $1,000 total, she realized it was a scam and cut off contact.
• A southwest suburban Chicago man made an initial payment of $750 for a dog. The breeder was a top hit online for a miniature dachshund. There was a whole application process, but after he sent the $750, communication dropped off and the scammers disappeared.

Let's Get Into The Red Flags You Should Be Watching For

In spite of so many people being scammed by phony puppy advertisements, there are some "tells" you should be keeping an eye out for if you're looking to add a pet to your household, according to the BBB:

• Popular breeds are available for incredibly low prices.
• The seller refuses to meet in person or take a video call.
• Extra charges for cages, vaccinations and other shipping costs.
• The word “teacup” is used in an advertisement.
• High-pressure tactics are meant to make the buyer think the animal will be harmed.

What you can do to avoid being taken:

• See pets in person. Most scams are sophisticated enough to fake out an in-person meeting. Video calls can also be a strong deterrent against fraud in nearly all cases.
• Use reverse image search. Many scam websites impersonate real businesses. Search the photos used online or sent to you to see if they appear anywhere else online.
• Understand market prices. Many pet scams offer animals at deep discounts. Knowing what an animal should cost can help raise alarm bells if the price is suspiciously low.
• Check out your local shelter. Many buyers have no preference for breeds. If not, an in-person visit to a local shelter can be a surefire way to avoid scams.