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Pet Shipping and Internet Fraud

by Rick_Powell

A new wrinkle on an old scam is currently appearing on the
Internet and in local newspapers throughout North America and is
costing pet lovers hundreds of dollars. Pet adoption notices are
appearing in classified ads online and in print and when pet
lovers respond to the ads and wire money, no pets are shipped and
the victim usually loses anywhere from $100 to $1000 or more.
These scams are especially effective due to the almost universal
appeal of pets and people’s willingness to help others in a tough
situation, but as the old saying goes, ‘Let the buyer beware.’

How the Pet Shipping Scams Work

A pet lover sees an ad somewhere offering a pet for an unusually
low price because the pet owner can no longer keep the pet due to
the owner having moved to an African country where the climate is
not suitable to the pet’s health. Other variations on this
involve financial hardship, an unexpected move for employment, or
that the pets’ lives are in peril from being abandoned. When
these ads appear online, they look like legitimate websites and
feature pictures of the pet mentioned in the ad, increasing the
likeliness of a successful scam.

The pet lover responds to the ad and receives an email from a
seemingly legitimate email address requesting a low sum of money,
usually just over $100. Upon receipt of the money wire, the
scammers generally request additional money for pet shipping
insurance and customs processing costs. Because they have already
wired money, victims are inclined to send additional funds to
hedge their initial investment and help the animal. But once the
funds are sent, no pets are shipped and the seller does not
respond to any additional correspondence.

How to Avoid Pet Shipping Fraud

There are a number of red flags which should alert pet lovers to
the nature of these scams, but their judgment is often clouded by
their fondness for animals. To avoid becoming a victim, look for
these warning signs:

- Wiring Money to an Overseas Address–Usually the scams involve
sending money to Nigeria, Cameroon, or another African country.

- Unusually Low Prices–Purebred breeds and hard-to-find animals
are usually offered at prices well below the market value.

- Follow-Up Requests for More Money–Once a modest sum has been
sent, victims usually receive a reply shortly thereafter
requesting a larger amount of money.

- Refundable Pet Insurance–Short-term pet insurance for over
$1000 that will supposedly be refunded when the pet arrives is
requested.

If you have fallen victim to these scams, you’re not alone.
Hundreds of pet lovers have unwittingly become victims to pet
shipping Internet fraud and the Council of Better Business
Bureaus and American Kennel Club have issued warnings about it.
Other than reporting the fraud to the authorities, there’s little
that can be done about recouping the money, but legitimate pet
shipping companies are doing their best to alert pet lovers from
becoming new victims.

Rick Powell is with the <a href="http://www.animalsaway.com">pet
shipping</a> company Animals Away.  Animals Away is a pet and
anmial shipping and pet transportation company. Please visit our
website at <a
href="http://www.animalsaway.com">http://www.animalsaway.com</a>
for more information.

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