How To Identify A Puppy Scam

How to Identify a Puppy Scam: 5 Warning Signs  per the AKC ....

With thousands of puppy scams reported over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the most common warning signs among puppy-related scams. 

1. The seller claims that you will not be able to see the puppy in person before adoption and/or is unable to provide you with multiple pictures/videos of the puppy up for adoption.
2. The seller asks for payment up front through Western Union, MoneyGram, a digital money app like Zelle or Cash App, or via a gift card.
3. The seller or a third party asks for payment to cover additional items such as a climate-controlled crate for shipping, vaccinations, or transportation insurance/life insurance. In many cases, fraudulent emails will claim the shipping costs/crate rental fees will be refunded upon the puppy’s delivery. However, they never are.
4. The breeder’s website offers no information about the sire or dam of the litter and/or the breeder is unable / unwilling to provide proof of health records or registration
5. In the case of purebred breeds, the puppy in question is being offered at a significantly steep discount when compared with the average price for a puppy of its breed.​