HOW TO SPOT A SCAMMER! --RED FLAGS
Did you get scammed?
Or almost get scammed?
WOW! I am amazed at the stories I hear of the scammers. It is so sad.
Here are some ways to help you detect scammers:
a) FACEBOOK. Facebook is a HOT MESS when it comes to puppies and scammers! Here are some guidelines to help you wade through the mud & the muck!
Step #1. Get a phone number. A real person with a US phone number CAN STILL be a scammer! But scammers often refuse to speak on the phone.
Step #2. Ask for their website. Responsible breeders should have a website. If someone claims to be "breeding puppies" but doesn't have a website, this is a RED FLAG!
Step #3. Ask for the puppy's parents names. Now go to the website to check the parents (pay attention to health tests)!
Step #4. Finally Call: SPEAK to a real person on the phone.
If you hit a snag with any of these 4 steps, this is a RED FLAG you may be dealing with a scammer!
b) "BUY~A~PET" sites. Type "SITE NAME" + "REVIEWS" into google BEFORE YOU SEND MONEY!!
My advice regarding "buy-a-pet" sites: If the contact information for the breeder is not easily available to you or you are NOT ALLOWED to contact the breeder directly that is a RED FLAG! Scammers ARE on these sites! Go slow! Be careful!
c) Look closely at the photos. Scammers are getting more clever with photos, so look closely. Scammers may use the same photo to advertise two different dogs (one as a male and again as a female). A real breeder has multiple snapshots of the same puppy. A scammer has ONE photo or a limited number of photos. Pay attention to the backgrounds. Real breeders use the same background for multiple photos. A scammer stole images from different sources. Are the parents photographed? Real breeders LOVE their dogs and will have photos of them.
d) Scammer Website = Simple! Quickly thrown together!..… make note of misspelled words and/or sentences that don’t make sense! These things throw up RED FLAGS!
Check out their “about me” or “who we are” page. Scammers will have very little personal information about themselves (or may leave it off completely). If there are no details or something seems off/not right this is a RED FLAG.
e) LOTS of Puppies. Be careful of ANYONE who has LOTS and LOTS of available puppies. Try to imagine, 'What is going on?' If this is true, ask: are these puppies getting the proper care? Socialization? What kind of environment can handle this sort of factory? Or is this a scam? This is a RED FLAG!!
f) COMMUNICATION. ~ I never accept payment until I have spoken to someone in person~ This protects ME & YOU. I will not sell a puppy to someone I have not met (has never called me on the phone). As a buyer, it is imperative for YOU to speak to someone before you send money because there are so many scammers. However, I have heard scammers will sometimes talk on the phone, but usually they will not.
g) Video……If you are in doubt, ask for a video call! A scammer doesn't have the puppy so he can't magically produce a puppy for a video call......this one is certain!
h) Tons of Testimonials……A SCAMMER'S #1 GOAL IS TO GAIN YOUR TRUST! I have noticed that scammer websites usually have TONS of testimonials. Okay, real breeders have testimonials too.
All of these things are not 100%--scammers copy real breeders and that is what makes it difficult. But being armed with these guidelines should throw up red flags to help you NOT GET SCAMMED!!
SIMPLE WEBSITES…..GO SLOW!……TONS OF TESTIMONIALS……LOTS OF PUPPIES…..CHECK THE PHOTOS...BUY~A~PET REVIEWS