LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – Although the amount of people caught up in puppy scams went down in 2022, the money lost went up. The cost of these scams is expected to exceed $2 million for 2022 and the Better Business Bureau says that these scams make up one quarter of all online shopping frauds reported to them. The loss to the public peaked at more than $3 million during the pandemic in 2020-2021 when people were seeking fuzzy friends to make their lockdowns more pleasant.

It’s an easy scam to fall into because that photo of the puppy that someone has been wanting is so adorable as they gaze at their eyes on their computer or phone screen. They have most likely already picked out a name for their puppy and can imagine that puppy as part of their family.

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But beware, because if you are buying your puppy online, it’s likely that the whole thing is a fraud. Because of that, the Better Business Bureau is warning everyone to beware of puppy scams this holiday season – and throughout the year.

According to the BBB, the average monetary loss in puppy scams is increasing with an average loss of $850 this year which is up 60% from 2017.

The BBB says that these scammers set up fake websites to lure people into buying a puppy with them. After the buyer is hooked and sends the initial fee, the scammer asks for more money for special crates, shipping, insurance or something else. They are able to go back to the customer over and over because they are emotionally invested in the purchase as well as financially.

Another way to scam puppy buyers is for the scammers to claim that their credit card was declined or isn’t working but in reality the fraudsters have stolen the information to use later. Then they ask the buyer to pay through PayPal, Venmo, gift cards or from another source which are more insecure.

Simone Williams, the Media & Public Relations spokesperson for the BBB, says, “Never buy a pet without seeing it in person” and provides other tips on their website including setting up a video call to view the animal, conducting a reverse image search on photos attached to ads, or, better yet, checking out pets at your local animal shelter or with a rescue group.

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Yorkies, Dachshunds and French Bulldogs make up almost 30% of all puppy scams but the BBB says that buyers should be cautious when shopping for any breed online.

According to the BBB, a lot of the scammers have websites registered outside of the United States and disappear quickly so that they can’t be caught by law enforcement.

In Michigan, Attorney General Dana Nessel issued an additional alert and tips for the public in early December to also warn consumers to be aware of puppy scams this holiday season. Those tips are similar to the information that BBB provides and can be found here along with information on how to report a scam, file a complaint or get additional information about the topic.