PROVIDENCE – Better Business Bureau serving the region including Rhode Island is warning consumers of scams related to the online purchasing of pets.
BBB, as its known, analyzed the top online scams affecting the region during August, and found 12 online shoppers had lost $8,470 on costs related to online pet purchases.
Purchasing pets online is a common way of saving rescue animals from other parts of the country.
BBB said scammers have built fake websites using stolen photos and content from reputable breeders, and promised to send a puppy after money has been wired.
After the money – plus fees, in some instances – is paid, the seller disappears.
“One consumer reported that the scammer told them they must purchase insurance or else they would not ship their pet to them,” according to the report. “By the time the victim realized there was no pet coming, they had lost a total of $1,550.”
BBB urges consumers to make purchases online only using a credit card, as it’s much easier to cancel a payment than with a debit card.
