Protecting Yourself From Online Pet Classifieds
Scams!
Bob Anderson
In recent years, online Pet Classifieds scams have
increased and have affected many people.
Internet Fraud, Classifieds Scams, Abuse and Suspicious Replies
are world wide issues that have become widespread in targeting
sellers and buyers everywhere specially on the Internet. Often
this involves buyers from Nigeria, Africa, Holland and other
countries.
Online classifieds scams pose threats to both sellers and buyers.
Posing As A Seller:
A Person can post an ad for a puppy that only exist in the item
description. Actually, seller doesn't have the puppy that he/she
is trying sell or give away. Seller will then ask for money and
refer them to the shipping company who is supposed to send the
puppy to the buyer. Buyer waits for few days and contacts the
seller, but no answer. Tries again for couple of more days..no
answer. Finally buyer decides to call the shipping company with
the reference number for the puppy. Shipping company replies that
they don't have anything related to this reference number or it
is not for your puppy. Buyer loses money.
Posing As A Buyer:
A scammer can pose as a buyer of a puppy and contacts the seller.
Buyer is desperate to buy and accepts your listed price and
suggest that his/her agent will pick up the puppy with a check
that is more than the asking price. In return, they ask buyer to
deduct amount for the item, get remaining amount and give a fake
cashier's check. Seller will lose the puppy and the money.
Check any websites who have classifieds, if they don't have a
warning about online scams, they should have!
There are ways you can protect yourself from these scams, visit
our Scam Alert page on
http://www.petboro.com/scam.aspx where you
can find examples of scams and emails and list of known scammer
emails that people have reported to us.
Back to Index of All Dog Training Info
Special Dog Breed Specific Gift Items
Really Cool Gift Items for Dogs & All Pets
Didn't find what you were looking for?
Try doing a search
