Buying | Puppies Online Scams

: Right-click the puppy's photo and select "Search image with Google" to see if it appears on other websites or stock photo galleries.

: 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. buying puppies online scams

: They may claim the puppy is popular and will be sold immediately unless you pay a deposit now. : Right-click the puppy's photo and select "Search

: 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 (

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

: Legitimate breeders will be happy to discuss the puppy's lineage, health records, and parents. How to avoid online puppy scams

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