Puppy Scams

[TaylorWoods]

I advertised on our local Gumtree internet site that I was looking for a male Yorkie for breeding purposes in about a year's time when I am looking have a litter. I was just interested in the fees charged for this etc. She is nowhere ready for reeding yet and I haven;t made a final decision on whether or not I will so i was simply putting my feelers out to get some more information.

However, I got a reply from someone based in the country but a different province saying they had what I was looking for. It turned out however that they were offering me a puppy (male or female or both) for FREE. there was just a fee for the flight to where I live or I can collect him myself. These people claim that the puppies are KUSA registered, housetrained and crate trained (??? at 11 weeks ???) and that they are up to date on the innoculations and come with a one year health guarantee. they seemed so thorough asking me how I would care for the puppy etc. The pictures show a really beautiful puppy.

But they don't seem to answer MY questions in return and i am SO suspicious. I hear about scams all the time but how does one tell what is legitimate or not? It's not like i can drive there and see the puppy and I must rely on the pictures i was sent - which could be copied off the internet for all I know. And of course it's cash upfront and then the pupy is sent. When i got my female i went and saw her at 4 weeks, picked her out and paid and even then i was suspicious!

Any ideas on how to tell if it's legit or not? I have been considering having a companion for my little girl anyway regardless of whether she has puppies or not.

I have tried to add attachments - any ideas on how to find out how true this is? I have been told he will be maximum 4 pounds and it all sits uneasy with me!!!!!

[tammy8833]

scam


its all a a scam

[tammy8833]

everything you posted are warning signs

inoculations...most people use the term vaccinations
free
kusa? never heard of it
not answering your questions
they have what you want..what ever that is..im sure if you asked for a purple yorkie they would have had it.

run..look locally and remember if its sounds too good..its probably a scam

[TaylorWoods]

Originally Posted by tammy8833

everything you posted are warning signs

inoculations...most people use the term vaccinations
free
kusa? never heard of it
not answering your questions
they have what you want..what ever that is..im sure if you asked for a purple yorkie they would have had it.

run..look locally and remember if its sounds too good..its probably a scam

KUSA is the South African breeders Association - THAT part is legit because I am in the process of registering as a member. Perhaps i should ask them for their breeders number and check them that way.

In fact their words were "vet checked and up to date on their shots". I also found it odd that their tails are docked because it is illegal in South Africa to dock any dogs tails now and you face a big fine if you or the vet do it.

Some of the pictures have a little blonde girl in them holding the puppy. some pictures you can see the same puppy and others it's looks different...

In all honesty I'm not looking for another Yorkie just yet but it is really bugging me!

Im so untrusting in general, this one really has me baffled! I think you are probably right! S-C-A-M!!!!!

thanks for your thoughts

[TaylorWoods]

They also said the next "shots" are only due in 6 months time which is just not possible if the puppy is 11 weeks - I know im right there!









These are the other pictures I referred to earlier.

[tammy8833]

Originally Posted by TaylorWoods

KUSA is the South African breeders Association - THAT part is legit because I am in the process of registering as a member. Perhaps i should ask them for their breeders number and check them that way.

In fact their words were "vet checked and up to date on their shots". I also found it odd that their tails are docked because it is illegal in South Africa to dock any dogs tails now and you face a big fine if you or the vet do it.

Some of the pictures have a little blonde girl in them holding the puppy. some pictures you can see the same puppy and others it's looks different...

In all honesty I'm not looking for another Yorkie just yet but it is really bugging me!

Im so untrusting in general, this one really has me baffled! I think you are probably right! S-C-A-M!!!!!

thanks for your thoughts

well the kusa might be right but ive never dealt out side of my own state..lol dont trust too neither.
the rest is scam no one is giving away a yorkie...and why ship it, why not give it to someone where they live...
they stole the pics from someone else..so thats probably not the scammers child.

[tammy8833]

have you tried googling the email addy, name, contract info?

[Jellybears]

Yes, scams - I posted a few weeks ago - I am looking for a baby girl to buy this Spring and got almost the same ad off Kijjii. This woman had a Yorkie for $150 - had vet checks etc etc. After a few emails back and forth it ended up this woman was in Manchester, England and would get a flight for the puppy, and arrange delivery right to my door!!!!!!! BUT she needed the $150 immediately!!!!! How gullible do they think people are - well - I guess some people are because a friend lost $2500 in an online car scam.....I did email this person and told her exactly what I thought and that I was reporting her to Kijjii.....

[TaylorWoods]

Same thing here - the puppy will apparently be here tomorrow or as soon as the R850 reflects in the bank account.

I have asked them for their breeders member number because you can't register puppies if you are not a paying member of KUSA and i also asked for the puppy's new registration number. I have a feeling the emails will suddenly stop because Im not being fooled.

To be honest, I have asked them 3 times for a name and eventually i was sent a cellphone number and told to speak to someone else called Rafael. I googled the address and it pooped up as London, England - they claim to live in East London South Africa! The road doesnt exist and i searched the email name and contact number through a national database and it came up blank.

they asked me to send them photos when my litters are born and said that the puppy has a one year guarantee. if anything should go wrong with his health in a year i can return him for a new one from the next litter?!?!?!?!?! so this litter (if it exists) is not the only one. it's not as if the dog fell pregnant and they are trying to get rid of unwanted puppies. who breeds just to give their dogs away and fly them all over the country to their new owners and never check the new owners out. I would certainly want to do a home check before selling any puppy of mine.

I hope that if this is a scam then this might make others more aware of the sick things people will do for quick money. If it turns out to be true (I'm not holding my breath!) I will be the first to apologise!!!!!

PS: just got another reply saying that to SMS them tomorrow is fine but they never gave any KUSA details. Breeders out there know that they charge a lot of money for these dogs because they have fed the mother through it all, had the innoculations, registered them, and possibly microchipped them. not because they are greedy - It takes a lot of time and money to raise a litter properly.

[maryeverett1]

This is a total scam!! HUGE scam and they are making tons of money off of unsuspecting people who aren't looking at the warning signs! Which are that they won't give you any info other than a picture, won't let you talk to them on the phone, want money and western unions up front etc. And when you say that you will pay for the flight directly they stop contacting you! Had a friend who went all the way through this and never received a puppy! Beware of other scams where they say they can no longer keep a puppy and you can have it for free if you pay the cost of the flight! And what really stinks is they act like they care about where the puppy is going! Betcha money they don't even have a puppy and are just taking pictures off the Internet! You were smart to hold off!! Also 9 times out of 10 yorkies owners and breeders are not the kind of people that will give up a dog for free!

[TaylorWoods]

Originally Posted by maryeverett1

This is a total scam!! HUGE scam and they are making tons of money off of unsuspecting people who aren't looking at the warning signs! Which are that they won't give you any info other than a picture, won't let you talk to them on the phone, want money and western unions up front etc. And when you say that you will pay for the flight directly they stop contacting you! Had a friend who went all the way through this and never received a puppy! Beware of other scams where they say they can no longer keep a puppy and you can have it for free if you pay the cost of the flight! And what really stinks is they act like they care about where the puppy is going! Betcha money they don't even have a puppy and are just taking pictures off the Internet! You were smart to hold off!! Also 9 times out of 10 yorkies owners and breeders are not the kind of people that will give up a dog for free!

Fortunately I wasnt really looking for another Yorkie yet - Just a stud male.

i know i sound SUPER cynical here, but the one email requested my home address and details for delivery. and before that they had asked if i had other pets/Yorkies...who's to say they dont then come and steal your dog from the address you give them? It's a sick world out there...Im glad i never gave any extra informtaion and I will wait and see if they give me those registration numbers. I told them very directly that I dont believe it's real and won't pay until i get confirmation from the kennel association.

there were also no adverts of theirs anywhere to be found. I guess I'm lucky because i wasnt directly looking for my own puppy so I didnt have too much emotion in it and get all excited about finding it like some people might get when they are looking for a new pup sorry about your friend

[DaniMarie]

My aunt fell for one of these scams a few years ago.

She was told over the internet that she was "rescuing a Hurricane Katrina puppy" and just had to pay the $250 for the flight of the puppy. The woman and her had several phone conversations and everything and she was sent e-mail pictures of the puppy the *poof* once the money was sent, the puppy never came and the phone calls (of course) stopped.

[TaylorWoods]

Originally Posted by DaniMarie

My aunt fell for one of these scams a few years ago.

She was told over the internet that she was "rescuing a Hurricane Katrina puppy" and just had to pay the $250 for the flight of the puppy. The woman and her had several phone conversations and everything and she was sent e-mail pictures of the puppy the *poof* once the money was sent, the puppy never came and the phone calls (of course) stopped.

wow, thanks to everyone for their input...Im glad i asked! I never realised how big this problem was all over the world...

the address of my unknown person does not exist. I have googled it endlessly and nothing.

Im so shocked at how low people stoop these days...and that they played with your aunt's heart strings and got sympathy for an animal that never existed is just disgusting.

How on earth does one stop all this from happening tho?

[maryeverett1]

Yes it is a very sick world out there! I would still be very careful even if you do get a registration number because who's to say that isn't some friend of theirs that has the dog but is in the scam with them and has no intention of giving the dog up!! Dong give out any personal info and if they let you pay the airline directly for the flight than that is a good sign! No money should exchange their hands if the dog is free to you! Just a bad set up if you ask me and better ways to go about getting a stud dog down the road! Also be careful writing about being a hobby breeder on YT! Just a warning you are going to catch a ton of flack for that! Just FYI! Hope you have a great day!!

[cawsumb]

I have seen that exact same picture (the one of the little blond girl holding puppy close) in our online ads here in Utah. I am always suspicious of these "free" or very cheap puppies.