The South Simcoe Police Service is reminding residents to be wary of buying pets online after a puppy scam was reported by an Innisfil resident.
The scam unfolded when the woman found an ad for mini Goldendoodle puppies on Facebook Marketplace which led to a website offering pups for sale. The website appeared legitimate so the woman paid a deposit for a pup. Then the scammer began asking for additional payments for fees such as registration and the permit for shipping. When requests for more money kept coming, the woman realized it was a scam. The buyer did not receive her puppy and lost hundreds of dollars.
The South Simcoe Police Service is offering the following tips:
- Never pay for a pet without seeing it first
- Try to see the pet in person but if not, request a video call
- Google the name of the company/seller and the word ‘scam’ or ‘complaint’ to see if there are fraud warnings
- Never pay with Bitcoin, a wire transfer or gift cards because once that money is gone, it’s nearly impossible to get back
- Consider adopting pets from your local shelter or a local, reputable breeder
