Buying Puppies Online Scams -

: They will make excuses to avoid in-person meetings or live video calls, often claiming they are out of town or in a different country.

: Insist on a video call (FaceTime, Zoom) where the seller shows you the puppy in real-time. buying puppies online scams

: Purebred puppies sold for a fraction of their market value (e.g., a $500 French Bulldog) are major indicators of a scam. : They will make excuses to avoid in-person

: Scammers demand payment via wire transfers ( Western Union , MoneyGram), gift cards, cryptocurrency, or peer-to-peer apps like Zelle or Venmo that offer little to no buyer protection. : Scammers demand payment via wire transfers (

: They may claim the puppy is popular and will be sold immediately unless you pay a deposit now.

Verify breeders through official organizations like the American Kennel Club (AKC) . Check for business ratings and reported scams on BBB.org .

Buying a puppy online requires extreme caution, as the reports that roughly 80% of sponsored pet advertisements online may be fraudulent. Scammers often use professional-looking websites and stolen images to sell non-existent pets. 1. Major Red Flags of Online Puppy Scams