Scam Awareness
Some tips and pointers
With the number of people currently being scammed in Australia, I wanted to pop up some tips and pointers to help you avoid falling victim.
Firstly, buying a puppy is an emotional experience and the thing you need to remember is that scammers are using that fact to their advantage.
The puppy market is totally crazy at the moment and you DO need to act quickly to avoid missing out BUT this does not mean that you can forgo your due diligence.
BE PREPARED - make sure you have an idea of what you need to know from your breeder before contacting them. This will help you move through the steps quickly, ensuring you still get the answers you need.
Do not allow yourself to emmotionally invest in a puppy before knowing that the breeder is genuine and the puppy actually exists. If you find this challenging, get a friend that has no skin in the game to assess for you.
Familiarise yourself with common transport practices and costs. Scammer often gain the most money from these charges. You believe your puppy is coming and are emotionally invested so they keep tacking on fees to make you throw good money after bad. Transport fees are generally a flat rate + crate hire or purchase if flying.
RED FLAGS
Multiple breeds listed for sale - wrong breed names - majorly different backgrounds on photos - new page listing with limited likes or follows - will not provide a phone number - asking for your location before they have provided theirs - asking for a deposit without providing requested info - will not facetime (or video chat) - being overly pushy or demanding - refusing to allow visits or pick up - addressing you as Sir, Maam or Madam - having weights and measures listed in pounds and inches - using americanised terms such a shots (instead of vaccinations)
PLEASE BE CAREFULL MAKING YOUR PUPPY PURCHASE. I HOPE THE ABOVE HAS HELPED. CONSIDER JOINING A FACEBOOK GROUP LIKE PUPPY SCAM AWARENESS AUSTRALIA (link below) TO FAMILIARISE YOURSELF WITH COMMON SCAMS