How to Avoid Getting Scammed When Adopting a Puppy!
We have talked with a lot of people who either got scammed or almost got scammed and are very nervous because they don't know how to avoid it happening again. Here are a few tips on how to steer clear of shady websites and scammers who are only out to get your money. We have done a bunch of research on scam websites and can now spot one easily without ever talking to the people who are running it.
Look for Google reviews
Google reviews are hard to fake and most scam websites do not have any. If they don't have any google reviews or only have negative reviews, be cautious. Google ranking and reviews take time to build up and a lot of these scammers are constantly building new websites to stay ahead of the game.
The Offer Sounds Too Good to Be True
If it sounds too great, it probably is. Excellent breeders will not sell their Bernedoodle puppies for rock bottom prices. It is not cheap to raise a litter. Vet bills, health testing, food and supplements, time and effort go into a litter. So, if the price seems too good, it probably is not legit. If you have been checking the price of Bernedoodle puppies that you are interested in buying and a puppy comes up that is way below the going price, there is a reason for it. Most scam websites have very low prices to attract you into a deal faster.
Free or nearly free shipping
Many scammers will offer shipping at a ridiculously low price with their choice of Pet Delivery Agency. Scammers entice you to purchase knowing that shipping is not going to be an added expense however, if you fall for the scam, the cost of shipping continues to grow almost daily. Scammers will normally insist on shipping the puppy to you. They will make up 101 excuses for why you cannot pick up the puppy in person. This is because they will charge you much more for the shipping than you have paid for the puppy.
If you are adamant that you will pick up the puppy in person the scammer will eventually relent and arrange an appointment to meet. (They will then send you a random location that is within a few hours of you)
Scammers do this as there is a possibility that you will relent and pay for shipping. It does not cost them anything if you insist on driving cross-country to an address that has no connection with the scam.
Do a reverse image search on google
If you think a website may be a scam, do a reverse image search with the pictures of their puppies. This will search the internet for the image and will pull it up on other websites if the scammers got their pictures from a real breeder. A reverse image search will often reveal a scam because most scammers get their pictures off of other peoples websites.
This is a handy tool and has revealed many scammers and saved folks a lot of money. You can do a reverse search here or use Google.
Get on the phone
Most scammers (not all) don't have a phone number on their website and only communicate via email. If you can't talk with the breeder on the phone, go somewhere else. They prefer not to speak to you as this may arouse your suspicions.
Scammers are also happy to correspond by email. Read the email carefully. The wording in the email should be proper English. If you are in the US, scan the wording and determine if it is a native speaking US citizen. The same applies to the UK, New Zealand, Australia or other English-speaking countries. Puppy scams often originate abroad.
If it is a scammer the first replies to your questions will be well written however this a script that they are coping and pasting. When you continue to ask questions about the puppy, the scammers answers deteriorate and become much shorter. If the responses you receive seem odd, or don't conform to the local vernacular or how you would expect a native to speak or respond to your questions, chances are you are not corresponding with a local person. While not a definite sign, that should at least send up a red flag. Odd use of grammar is a telltale sign that you are not dealing with a native speaker.
Ask a lot of questions
In the event that you can get on the phone with them, ask a lot of questions! Don't worry about being nosy, you have the right to know everything about your future pet. Ask to FaceTime with them and the puppy. If they refuse it's probably because they don't have the puppy.
Ask for their personal names and do a Google search of their name with the words "dog breeder". If they have any sort of registration you should get a lot of good google results. If there are no clear google results, the name is probably fake.
Puppies from various litters?
On most scam websites there are normally beautiful photos of small puppies all appearing to be between 6 weeks and 12 weeks. Study the photographs well. If the photos look professional then they should all share the same background as they would have been taken at the same time. If they are not professionally taken then they should all be of the same quality and appear to be from the same location.
A legit breeder will almost always have a litter for sale with some pictures of all the puppies together as well as their parents, while scammers will often have a variety of puppies for sale. If you see various puppies that all look like they're all from different litters, be careful.
Scam websites also usually do not have the puppies date of birth. Instead it will say "eight weeks" or something similar. This is so that a person can come onto the website three weeks from now and the puppy is still eight weeks old. They do not put down the date of birth because then they would constantly have to be changing it to make so the puppy doesn't get older.
Don't except unusual payment methods
Most scammers will want to get cash thru unusual payment methods. Stick with PayPal or something you are familiar with and make sure you have fraud protection.
Facebook Scams
There has recently been an increase in Facebook scammers trying to pose as legit dog breeders. Scammers are constantly having to make new profiles to stay ahead so check out their profile. If it has only recently been created be cautious. They will often have friends but any posts they've made have little or no likes and comments. Common wording for scam Facebook pages are titles like "Bernedoodle puppies for rehoming, Bernedoodle puppies for adoption, or Bernedoodle puppies available for sale"
If you are messaging someone on Facebook and are unsure if they are legit please text me at 618-421-5246. I have dealt with many scammers and can easily see if the person is legit.
You’ve Been Scammed, Now What?
There is no guarantee that you will recover your losses, but there are a few things you still should do. The more places you report it, the better chance you have to shut down their website.
It truly feels horrible when you discover you have been a victim of puppy scams. The emotional loss of knowing the puppy you already started to love will never be yours. Losing money, not matter what your financial situation is difficult to take. Please take some time to recover your loss before you begin to look again. File reports with as many agencies that you can find. This helps put these puppy scammers out of business.
Lastly, and this is truly the hardest, don’t fall emotionally in love with a beautiful puppy pictures until you’ve done your due diligence.
If you have tips to add to this page or aren't sure if the person you are dealing with is a scam, feel free to call or text Javin at 618-421-5246.
