BBB: Beware of puppy scams this holiday season
The Better Business Bureau based in Southfield is seeing an increased monetary loss in puppy scams, even though the number of cases is falling.
“Puppy scams remain consistently profitable for scammers because their multi-tiered setup allows them to convincingly go back to a consumer several times to ask for money,” the BBB said in a news release. “So far this year, while pet scams in North America appear to be on the decline, consumer losses are expected to exceed $2 million. That total is down by a third since the peak of more than $3 million during the pandemic in 2020-2021.”
Average monetary losses are climbing, however, with an average loss of $850 in 2022, up 60% since 2017.
“Pet scams historically make up a quarter of all online shopping frauds reported to BBB and are on track to be about 18% this year,” the BBB said.
The organization urges shoppers to beware of scams.
“Scammers frequently take advantage of the news to find new avenues for targeting victims,” Melanie Duquesnel, BBB president and CEO, said. “The decision to adopt or buy a pet has created fertile ground for fraudsters over the last five years. Unfortunately, this time of year we see an uptick in puppy scams in the Detroit area.”
Puppy scammers lure people in with fake websites, promises of cute puppies and then ask for more money for shipping or special crates.
“Consumers say it is easy to be swept up in the emotions of the moment when buying a pet and push forward despite reservations,” BBB said.The BBB offers these tips for puppy buyers:
• See pets in person before paying any money.
• Try to set up a video call to view the animal.
• Conduct a reverse image search on photos attached to ads.
• Research the breed to figure out the average market price.
• Check out a local animal shelter for pets to meet in person before adopting.
To report a scam, visit the BBB Scam Tracker online or contact the Federal Trace Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov or 877-FTC-Help.
This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: BBB: Beware of puppy scams this holiday season
