如何识别 宠物诈骗

那双小狗的眼睛. 那些小猫的胡须. It’s easy to fall in love with a pet you see advertised online — but you should always think twice before making any plans to buy it. Pet scams are a popular way for fraudsters to dupe people out of their money or into giving up personal information. Before you pay anyone for your next pet, learn how common 宠物诈骗 工作 and how to protect yourself.

如何 宠物诈骗 工作

The most common pet scam goes like this: You see a pet adoption ad on social media or another online platform. After exchanging a few messages with the seller and paying for the pet, 它永远不会出现, 卖家失踪了, 而你空手而归.

这种情况的转折比比皆是. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) reports of these online 宠物诈骗:

• “免费”宠物供领养. A scammer may offer a “free” pet for adoption, but phony fees pop up for vet office visits, 旅游箱, 航班, 处理费或修饰费. The scam may also involve a fake website designed to arrange for shipment of the pet.
• Pet products that never arrive. 在一个案例中, the BBB website received more than 3,300 inquiries about a company whose products were never shipped, and which had no 电话号码 or physical address.¹
• 宠物看护工作. 在这个骗局中, the victim is contacted through social media, 合法的求职网站, or email with a tempting pet-sitting job. Once the job is accepted (but before you do any 工作), the fraudster will claim they need personal details (name, address, 电话号码, 社会安全号码, banking information) to set up direct deposit or payment in advance.² In reality, the fraudster is just stealing your personal information.

如何 避免宠物骗局

Before you pay for a pet you’ve found through an online ad, do some home工作. The BBB and Federal Trade Commission (联邦贸易委员会) recommend these steps.

• Do a reverse image search of the pet. Fraudsters often use the same images again and again. If the image is a stock photo or taken from somewhere else, it’s probably a scam.
• Watch for typos and odd phrases. If you find a lot of mistakes in the seller’s ad, 留言或网站, you’re probably dealing with a fraudster. ¹
• Learn how much reputable sellers charge for the breed. According to the Federal Trade Commission, “If someone is advertising a purebred dog for free or at a deeply discounted price, 这很可能是个骗局.”
• 调查卖家. Verify their contact information, 查看他们的证书, and confirm reviews from previous clients. Search online for their name plus the words “scam” or “complaint.”
• Meet the pet in person whenever possible. Legitimate rescues and breeders want you and your new pet to be a good match. Move on if they won’t allow an in-person visit, video chat, or even a phone call.
• 永远不要花钱运送宠物 if you can’t verify that the seller is reputable on the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association’s website.
• Never pay via wire transfer, gift card or money transfer app. If the seller insists, it’s probably a scam. Remember you probably won’t get a refund if you pay via a money transfer app or gift card. ³
• 采用本地. If you can, consider adopting from a local rescue or animal shelter. These organizations will list pricing and fees online, and you often won’t need to pay until you pick up your pet. They can also offer tips on finding a reputable breeder if that’s what you prefer.

如果你是……怎么办 宠物骗局的受害者

If you’ve been affected by a pet scam, it’s important to report it as soon as possible. In some cases, your money may be recovered.

• 联系 your financial institution. 打800给Patelco.358.8228 or send a secure message through Patelco Online^™.
• Register a complaint with the 联邦贸易委员会 at 联邦贸易委员会.政府 /投诉.
• If the scam occurred online, file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.政府.
• 通知 California State Attorney General.
• 的文件提交报告 BBB的骗局追踪器.
• 报告给 PetScams.com, an online list of pet scammers.