Is This A Scam?

[griff]

around 2 year or so ago I got the same email but was a litter of Rottie pups

darn scammers

[Dame Aussie]

Bonnie Parker is in SA and breeds Aussies :)

Yes! Beautiful ones too :)

[_PL_]

around 2 year or so ago I got the same email but was a litter of Rottie pups

darn scammers

I don't know what it is but I absolutely despise them. Little old pensioner's money stolen because they thought they were getting a yorkie puppy makes me sick.

Disgusting excuses for human beings.

That said, hell yes, stuff them around, waste their time. The scambaiter guys come up with some hilarious stuff.

[_PL_]

Is there anywhere on DOL that describes all the various scenarios of dog scams just in case?

[kyliedelonge]

A little over a year ago I was looking at getting a husky pup and responded to several adds about puppies every time I would get a return email with pictures of pups and a list of questions for me to answer (for some reason my religion was always one of the questions) and then they would say that they were in south Africa and I would only have to pay for the pup to be shipped to me (they pups were advertised as free and in Australia).

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

if you put the following into google...

scam site:www.dolforums.com.au

you get a good list of what's been discussed before.

and there is a good description of scams in general here.

http://www.dogzonline.com.au/

If you get a bunch of vague excuses why you can't meet up, and they want cash up front - for something you can't look at, via western union or any other method it would be hard to retrieve, then don't.

[LizT]

Also any advice they give you that reads like an advertisment for a product is just copy and paste from some other literature!

Glad you trusted your instincts. Those little alarm bells are worth their weight in gold.

[jr_inoz]

Yeah it actually makes me sick that people try this stuff.

The girl who sits across from me at work actually got scammed on Gumtree. Poor thing.

Can anyone recommend an Australian Shepherd breeder in South Australia?

Cheers

Lyndsay and Diedre Smith (Sayly) and Pauline Kent (Tayona) also breed nice Aussies.

Id reply "I have a friend in Griffith who has said he can pick the dog up today. He is in the police so totally dependable. What is your address?"

May as well have some fun and make him squirm.

Or tell him your friend Robert Trimboli from Griffith can pick the puppy up - although that will probably go right over his head.

[mita]

I liked the question, 'Do you have a vet around your home'? Like, who has a vet perpetually wandering around their home ... waiting for your pet to get sick.

[trinabean]

I liked the question, 'Do you have a vet around your home'? Like, who has a vet perpetually wandering around their home ... waiting for your pet to get sick.

Yes. I read that bit and thought 'I wish!' :laugh:

[mita]

I liked the question, 'Do you have a vet around your home'? Like, who has a vet perpetually wandering around their home ... waiting for your pet to get sick.

Yes. I read that bit and thought 'I wish!' :laugh:

But would we have to feed him/her? Could turn into a bit of a nuisance ... sitting around waiting for something to happen!!! :)

[westiemum]

I liked the question, 'Do you have a vet around your home'? Like, who has a vet perpetually wandering around their home ... waiting for your pet to get sick.

Yes. I read that bit and thought 'I wish!' :laugh:

But would we have to feed him/her? Could turn into a bit of a nuisance ... sitting around waiting for something to happen!!! :)

And would it need vet care? That could be expensive!

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

About the vets - there are so many vets I know among the dog obsessed...

So I do know some households where there is a vet around the home and at least one dog club... and we do feed them... They work pretty hard on whatever needs doing - so not too much of a bother.

[tarope]

Say goodbye $250... zip code ? you don't need a 6th grade education to realize when a zip code is mentioned he's not in NSW that's for sure. :D

[Mrs Rusty Bucket]

This seems to fit here somehow

Ferrets sold as poodles.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/08/ferrets-rodents-sold-as-toy-poodles-argentina_n_3037094.html

Unless you love ferrets - an imaginary puppy might be better.

[HazyWal]

Say goodbye $250... zip code ? you don't need a 6th grade education to realize when a zip code is mentioned he's not in NSW that's for sure. :D

Cell phone is another one.

[Boronia]

I received this email (I am on their mailing list) from ACCC SCAMwatch email alert

Here it is:

April 2013: Looking for a furry friend? Watch out – scammers continue to use cute and cuddly canines to pull on people’s heart strings and get them to part with their money.

SCAMwatch has received an increase in the number of scams involving puppies this year. This scam typically involves ads for non-existent puppies being placed in newspapers and online classifieds at suspiciously low prices. The ‘seller’ provides interested buyers with pictures of an adorable puppy and then tricks them into paying fees for transport, customs or medical costs before the dog can be delivered. Once the payment is made, the puppy and money vanish without a trace.

Scammers prey upon individuals and families who just want to give a dog a good home.

Don’t let your search for a furry friend be sidelined by a scammer – make sure the seller and the puppy are the real deal.

How these scams work

• You visit a reputable newspaper or online classifieds website where you come across an ad offering a pedigree puppy for a really cheap price. The ad may include a picture of a very cute puppy and claim that it is registered and has been ‘lovingly raised’.
• If you wish to buy the dog, the ‘seller’ will often claim that they have moved interstate or overseas and that you will need to pay for transport or medical costs before the puppy can be delivered. The ‘seller’ asks for payment to be made via money transfer.
• If you pay, you will never receive the puppy or see your money again.
• If the scammer claims that the puppy is overseas, they may pretend that non-delivery is due to customs or quarantine issues, and that further payment is due before the puppy will be released. Again, any further money sent will be lost and the dog will never be delivered.

Protect yourself

• Be cautious - if the advertised price of a pedigree puppy looks too good to be true, it probably is.
• Don’t trust the legitimacy of an ad just because it appears in a reputable newspaper or online classifieds website - scammers often use these.
• Avoid any arrangement with a stranger that asks for upfront payment via money order or wire transfer – it’s rare to recover money sent this way.
• Search online using the exact wording in the ad—many well-known scams can be found this way.
• If you are in doubt, seek advice from someone in the industry such as a reputable breeders association, vet or local pet shop.
• Remember: it is impossible to import a dog from overseas into Australia in a few weeks as quarantine procedures need to be followed. For details check the requirements with the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service.

Report

You can report a scam to the ACCC via the report a scam page on SCAMwatch or by calling 1300 795 995.

More information

For more information about how you can protect yourself, check out the upfront payment scams page on SCAMwatch.

SCAMwatch has also issued the following radars on puppy related scams:

• Pedigree pups at prices too good to be true
• Cute puppies for sale? Don’t be fooled

Stay one step ahead of scammers, follow @SCAMwatch_gov on Twitter or visit http://twitter.com/SCAMwatch_gov.

[mita]

Good on you, Boronia, for posting all that information. I heard someone from ACCC talking on Radio National. She said the number of puppy scams reported to them over the past year is in the thousands. And they have a fair idea that there's many more people scammed who were too embarrassed to complain.

Someone from the (fraud) police also contributed. He said they're coming from overseas... & the reason scammers have been putting their ads in our local newspapers, as well, is to try to con people they're here in Australia.