Ad For Female English Bulldog Pup

[KismetKat]

I can't believe this - an ad on page 3 of today's Age selling this pup for $600 plus shipping.

An ad that size in the Age in that position would probably cost $600 or more.

How many times are they gunna sell this pup (which I am sure does not exist).

Only contact is a yahoo address.

Edited August 31, 2010 by KismetKat

[TsarsMum]

scam most likely

[KismetKat]

Point is, being in a paper like The Age would lend the ad legitimacy.

[casowner]

These "Bulldog breeders" have been caught out scamming so many people and they keep falling for it

[Linda K]

off to check that paper, amazing that the paper accepted it, as I am sure if they had stopped and did the maths they would work that out too. Mind you I recall a few years ago, they had an add in the Sun for the scam "sheridan" sheets, that were nothing of the sort, and so many people at our work got stung by that, as we had got a flyer on the fax machine, and then the add in the paper, so thought the sun had checked it out - only to see the big full page add a few days later from Sheridan Australia advising it was nothing to do with them, they were not really Sheridan stuff, and it was all a con.

[KismetKat]

The Age have now pulled the ad - it was set to run all week.

article

Fears dog ad was selling a pup

Daniella Miletic

August 31, 2010

HOW much was that doggy in the advertisement on page three of this newspaper yesterday? The one with the waggly tail, that may not, perhaps, even exist?

Fairfax Media, owners of The Age, yesterday pulled an advertisement that was set to run in today's paper, and had already appeared in the news pages for four consecutive days, because it carried the hallmarks of a popular scam in the form of classified advertisements for cute puppies.

The advertisement was for a female English bulldog puppy for sale for $600, shipping not included, and offered an email address. The five-by-6.8-centimetre advertisement had been paid to run in the paper for five days.

It was due to appear again in today's paper but was withdrawn because of doubts about its authenticity.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said that while it could not yet confirm that this advertisement was a scam, it had the hallmarks of a fraud about which the watchdog first warned consumers in 2007.

The Age could not get through to the contact listed on the advertisement's booking sheet last night.

Peter Kell, chairman of the Consumer Fraud Taskforce, said the commission received about 300 reports of classified advertisement scams each month, both in print and online, mostly involving cars and motorcycles.

''But pets are also, unfortunately, a popular type of scam advertisement and dogs in particular are the preferred pet of scammers,'' he said.

According to the ACCC website, consumers should be wary of cheap pedigree pups. They also advise people who are unsure about an ad they have seen to seek advice from a breeder, kennel association or vet.

They warn consumers to avoid any arrangement with a stranger that asks for upfront payment by money order, wire transfer or moneygram.

Report a suspected scam on the ACCC website or call the Infocentre on 1300 302 502.