Study: Texas is the No. 2 state for puppy scams

The study, conducted by Veterinarians.org, found that 242 puppy frauds had been reported nationwide as of January 1. Around 28% came from the D-FW area.

DALLAS, Texas – Man’s best friend grew in popularity during the pandemic. With everyone cooped up at home, dog adoption and sales increased. Some animal shelters across the country saw their kennels empty in droves.

But as families began to grow by four legs, cheaters were at work too.

A new study by Veterinarians.org found Texas ranks number 2 for puppy fraud or fraud.

In scams like this, willing buyers unwittingly turn to fake breeders, usually through social media or a fake website, and pay to just fool a dog.

The study found that from January 1, 2021 to October 31, 2021, there was 165% more puppy fraud in the United States than in the same period before the 2019 pandemic.

California has the most puppy scams this year, but Texas ranked second with 242 reports from January 1st through October 31st.

All data was compiled by the Better Business Bureau. The average consumer money lost to puppy fraud in Texas was $ 913.

According to the study, victims in Texas lost over $ 220,000 to puppy fraud altogether, with many being cheated out of several thousand dollars in certain cases.

Baldo Leon is one of the more than 200 victims. He lives in Columbus, Ohio and was looking for a Goldendoodle for his daughter in May. He says it will be a gift for his daughter to start high school.

Leon told the WFAA that he was looking for the best deal he could find.

“These are expensive dogs,” said Leon.

His daughter eventually found a “breeder” on Facebook who claimed to be operating out of Plano, selling pups at reasonable prices for around $ 600.

The low price, Leon admits, should have been a warning sign.

“He sent me several pictures of different puppies that we were looking for,” said Leon.

Leon said he contacted the breeder and started checking them out.

“He showed me a Texas ID, told me where he lived, gave me his address and an account to which we could transfer the money,” said Leon.

All of these things, except for the account, were fake.

The breeder told him via Leon that they would send a purebred bitch to his area, so Leon gave the cheater about $ 600 via cell.

But he started to smell a scam when the breeder called and asked for more money to ship the dog.

“He told me the crate or kennel was not suitable for the airline they were using and that he needed an additional $ 500. I sent it to him, but luckily my bank stopped it, ”said Leon.

After not sending the money, Leon said that the breeder was getting more and more aggressive – then he knew for sure that it was a scam.

“It was a terrible experience, I was manipulated and betrayed,” said Leon.

The bank also didn’t refund his $ 600. “They told me they weren’t going to stick,” said Leon. Leon reported the incident to the Plano police.

A similar situation occurred in 2019 with Juia Laney of Denton.

Their daughter wanted a Goldendoodle and Laney had found a cheap puppy online through a breeder on Facebook.

After prepaying about $ 700, Laney also began suspecting a scam when the “breeder” asked for more money to ship the dog.

“They kept telling me that the airline was telling them they had the wrong kennel and they wanted me to pay one and get my money back,” Laney said.

“But all of these kennels cost about $ 500, and I thought that’s an extreme amount to transport a puppy.”

Unfortunately, Laney and her daughter were on their way to the airport to pick up the expected dog, and the Denton mother had to take the news to her daughter in the car.

“I just looked at her and said that wasn’t going to happen. And she was upset, but over time she got even angrier that I had lost my money, ”Laney said with a laugh.

Good news: Both families have a new furry family member. Leon’s daughter got the poodle she wanted, and Laney’s daughter took in an older German Shepherd.

Still, the BBB and Veterinarians.org share these tips to spot puppy fraud:

  • The seller claims that you will not be able to see the puppy in person prior to adoption and / or provide you with multiple pictures / videos of the puppy for adoption.
  • The seller requires prepayment through Western Union, MoneyGram, a digital money app like Cell or Cash app, or through a gift card.
  • The seller or a third party is asking for payment to cover additional items such as an air conditioning box for shipping, vaccinations, or shipping / life insurance. In many cases, fraudulent emails claim that the shipping cost / crate rental fee will be refunded upon delivery of the puppy. However, they never are.
  • The breeder’s website does not provide any information about the father or mother of the litter and / or the breeder cannot provide evidence of health records or AKC certification.
  • In the case of purebred breeds, the puppy in question is offered at a significant discount compared to the average price for a puppy of its breed.

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