LOCALS wanting to get themselves a new furry friend are being urged to remain cautious after reports of a widespread scam linked to the sale of puppies.
Victoria Police are investigating hundreds of reports from people who have lost thousands of dollars after being scammed by fake puppy advertisements.
The scammers advertise puppies for sale on websites that appear to be professional and are promoted through online marketplaces, with victims sent a photo of the alleged puppies and asked to make a deposit into a nominated bank account, which often includes costs for interstate transport, insurance, and registration fees.
Once the first payment has cleared, the scammers often ask the victims for a further payment saying the money will be used to cover expenses such as different crates or required equipment.
Police report communication often occurs through email, text, online methods, or over the phone, with the scammers cutting off all contact with the victims once they receive their money.
So far, the scams have involved breeds such as Cavoodles, French Bulldogs, Mini Teacup Puppies, Golden Retrievers, Corgies, and Dachshunds, and victims have reportedly lost between $700 and $10,000.
Hamilton Police acting sergeant, Alex Gettens, said local police were aware of the puppy scam and encouraged all south-west residents to approach sales with extra caution.
“With the puppy scam, we put it into the same bracket as Facebook Marketplace scams,” he said.
“We are generally finding people are coming across them on Facebook Marketplace or similar websites.
“People usually report themselves to have vehicles, phone, or animals (for sale), so puppies have been a huge one recently, especially in Covid times.”
Act Sgt Gettens said scammers often create a sense of urgency in order to make victims quickly transfer funds.
“People are saying they need to sell them fast, get rid of them in some way, or that there is a limited number of puppies available,” he said.
“They create a sense of urgency and people then believe if they don’t act fast they will miss out, the fear of missing out or FOMO as people like to call it, becomes more and more prevalent.
“Our advice would be if you do want to purchase through things like these, make sure you’re purchasing through a reputable breeder, and there are plenty of websites out there where you can check that.
“If they’re from outside your area proceed with caution, don’t make any payments unless you’ve seen the seller and if it’s a puppy make sure they actually exist, because if it seems too good to be true, it probably isn’t.”
Act Sgt Gettens said buyers should look out for minimal details as this is often an indication of a dodgy sale.
“We like to look for obvious red flags, people not including their photo or they give very vague details about their location,” he said.
“For us, people making down payments online is a big no no.
“If you don’t have that visceral feedback of ‘that is a real person with a real dog’, then don’t send any money.”
While puppies can be purchased safely online, police are urging people to stay vigilant by following these valuable tips:
Any locals who think they have been the victim of a scam are encouraged to contact the Hamilton Police Station.
Anyone with information relating to the scam is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or submit a confidential crime report at crimestoppersvic.com.au
