The South Simcoe Police Service is urging people to use caution when buying pets online after an Innisfil woman reported a “puppy scam.”
The woman saw an ad on Facebook Marketplace for mini goldendoodle puppies that led to a website with puppies for sale.
“The website appeared legitimate, so the woman paid a deposit for a pup,” police stated in a news release. “Then the scammer began asking for additional payments for fees such as registration and the permit for shipping. When requests for more money kept coming, the woman realized it was a scam. The buyer did not receive her puppy and lost hundreds of dollars.”
Police have provided the following tips:
- Never pay for a pet without seeing it first
- Try to see the pet in person, but if not, request a video call
- Google the name of the company/seller and the word “scam” or “complaint” to see if there are fraud warnings
- Never pay with Bitcoin, a wire transfer or gift cards because once that money is gone, it’s nearly impossible to get back
- Consider adopting pets from your local shelter or a local, reputable breeder
