Better Business Bureau: Beware of dog adoption scams amid historical holiday spike

Frey says scammers tend to ask purchasers for money for vaccines, travel expenses or say the puppy is sick and needs care. He says it's often weeks before a person realizes they’ve lost thousands of dollars on a dog that doesn’t exist.

News 12 Staff

Dec 5, 2020, 1:25 AM

Updated 1,478 days ago

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Dog ownership has spiked during the pandemic, prompting a national organization to issue a warning about potential scams targeting animal lovers.
Luke Frey, of the Better Business Bureau of Connecticut, says any potential pet buyer who is not meeting their pet at a shelter or in person needs to be careful.
“Scammers take full advantage of that – so if you can somehow video conference or see that pet live, so you know it is real, that is an overall great tip,” he told News 12.
Frey says scammers tend to ask purchasers for money for vaccines, travel expenses or say the puppy is sick and needs care. He says it's often weeks before a person realizes they’ve lost thousands of dollars on a dog that doesn’t exist.
Buyers can use the BBB Scam Tracker if they suspect anything shady is happening with their purchase.
News 12 was at PAWS animal rescue group in Norwalk Friday where they said December historically sees a surge in adoptions. The pandemic has also escalated the desire to adopt a pet for many. The group says they saw the most adoptions ever in 2020.