The Grand Illusion
There are always scams and scammers, but one of the scams that’s taken off this year is one that, I have to say, really burns me, for several reasons. It’s not a scam that I would have guessed to be one of the “hot” scams of the season, but the fact that it is makes a very sad sort of sense.
What am I talking about? Puppy scams!
When we thought about getting another dog, we discovered that the internet is filled with fraudulent sites claiming to be reputable breeders/sellers, sites filled with pictures of adorable puppies. There’s also a site that deals with listing fraudulent sites called Petscam, and the numbers of such fraudulent sites are staggering. Because we have a fondness for dachshunds, I checked out the listing of fraudulent dachshund sites, and there were close to two hundred listed over the past two years [if I counted correctly]… just for dachshunds.
I checked out several of those sites, and while the pictures show healthy adorable puppies, the sites I looked at were short on specifics, such as addresses, references and other details that could be checked, and offered pure-bred dachshunds at well under the going rate [purebred dachshunds aren’t cheap!]. They also offer unnamed, nonexistent, and inexpensive “pet courier” services. Having had to transport a dog in the past, I certainly couldn’t find any courier that was reputable and inexpensive, and I suspect it’s even harder today.
Why are puppy scams up? I’d guess it’s because people are lonely, both children and adults. It’s been a long isolating year for most people, and puppies aren’t under quarantine. In addition, dogs are loyal at a time when loyalties have been strained for many people.
The internet has made scamming almost risk-free for scammers, and scammers always go for those who are vulnerable. Still, understandable as it may be why puppy scams are flourishing, and given that all scammers are lowlifes, I can’t find those who are engaging in this kind of scam anything but particularly despicable.
On a related note, two weeks ago I faxed some forms to the IRS. As of today, I have received two phone calls claiming that my SSN has been suspended by the IRS due to “suspicious activity”.
Now… I’m in my mid 20s, and grew up dodging internet/phone scams, and this is just another one in the long list. What concerns me is how “data” about me spreads. Someone, somewhere, somehow, managed to connect an outgoing fax from a UPS Store to me. I suspect via the recorded financial transaction, as that would include my name and billing address.
Scams will continue to grow, both in scale and depth, as we continue to integrate more “smart” technologies. That I am confident of.
I have seen the flip side…people scamming puppy sellers. Fortunately I was able to learn from other people’s mistakes.
For puppy buyers…see the puppy before you pay for it, and get a thorough vet check before you pay for it! Escrow accounts can be used for this, and at the price of a purebred puppy, its worth the time and effort.
On puppy farms… I was told today by someone with some expensive-looking Russian hunting dogs that the price of pups has increased significantly due to the lockdown measures here in the UK.
I was also told that the rescue centres are worried that once the vaccinations have rolled out, and they work, and we can return to normal …they will be flooded out by unwanted year-old dogs.