Save
Puppy love sees Aussies scammed almost $300k
The consumer watchdog has issued a warning to Australians seeking a furry friend in social isolation.
Puppy love sees Aussies scammed almost $300k
The consumer watchdog has issued a warning to Australians seeking a furry friend in social isolation.
According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), puppy scams have cost unsuspecting individuals and families almost $300,000 in 2020 alone.
It’s courtesy, in part, to a rise in Australians looking for companions to ride out the COVID-19 crisis.
Scamwatch has revealed April reports of puppy scams were almost five times higher than the average, with scammers setting up fake websites or online classified advertisements and social media posts pretending to sell sought-after dog breeds.
Cavoodles and French bulldogs are reportedly most often the dog breeds targeted in such scams.
The ACCC said fraudsters are taking advantage of the fact that people can’t travel to meet the dog in person.
“A lot of people are stuck at home and going online to buy a pet to help them get through the loneliness of social isolation,” the ACCC’s deputy chair, Delia Rickard, commented.
“Unfortunately, the rush to get a new pet and the unusual circumstances of COVID-19 make it harder to work out what’s real or a scam.”
Puppy scammers will usually ask for an upfront payment for the pup via money transfer, and will offer to transport it to you.
But the scam doesn’t end there, Ms Rickard flagged.
“Once you have paid the initial deposit, the scammer will find new ways to ask for more money, and scammers are now using the COVID-19 pandemic to claim higher transportation costs to get across closed interstate borders or additional fees for ‘coronavirus treatments’,” she explained.
“Unfortunately, once you make the payments, the seller will cease all contact.”
Ms Rickard has advised that the safest option for purchasing a new pet is to “only buy or adopt a pet you can meet in person”.
“If you cannot do that during the current lockdown restrictions, consider putting the search on hold.”
She added that “scam websites can look quite convincing, so try not to fall for the adorable puppy pictures they post, and remember, if the price looks too good to be true, it probably is”.
“Research the seller by running an internet search using the exact wording in the ad and do a reverse image search for pictures of the specific puppy, as you’re likely to be dealing with a scammer if you find matching images or text on multiple websites,” Ms Rickard recommended.
“If you are in doubt, seek advice from a reputable breeders association, vet or local pet shop.”
Here are five other scams you need to be wary of during COVID-19.
About the author
About the author
Scams
Dressed up as the government: Tax time triggers rise in scams
The consumer watchdog has warned that impersonation scams are on the rise, with more than $1.26 million having been lost by Australians from more than 7,100 instances of fraudulent behaviour. ...Read more
Scams
5 ways to protect yourself from online scammers
As consumers’ preferences change from traditional retail to online shopping, they are being advised to keep an eye out for potential scams. ...Read more
Scams
‘A perfect storm’: ASIC delivers new investment scam warning
The corporate regulator has delivered a new caution to consumers as reports of misconduct rise 20 per cent. ...Read more
Scams
$634m loss: Scammers getting smarter
Australians lost more than $634 million to scams in 2019 alone, a figure calculated from the more than 350,000 reports of fraudulent activity made to Scamwatch, other government agencies and the big f...Read more
Scams
7 important tips to avoid falling into an investment scam
With the news that Western Australians alone have lost nearly $5 million to investment scams this financial year, WA ScamNet has provided some insight on how consumers can avoid falling into such fina...Read more
Scams
Online shoppers flock to retail scam
While traditional retail continues to struggle from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, online retail has surged, leading to the higher risk of scammers, an online provider has warned. ...Read more
Scams
Qld raises alarm on COVID-19 fraud
The rise in scam activity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted Queensland’s Office of Fair Trading to issue its own warning to consumers. ...Read more
Scams
Beware these 5 COVID-19 scams
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, more than 2,000 coronavirus-related scam reports with losses totaling more than $700,000 have been lodged with the consumer watchdog. So, how can you avoid it happening...Read more
Scams
Dressed up as the government: Tax time triggers rise in scams
The consumer watchdog has warned that impersonation scams are on the rise, with more than $1.26 million having been lost by Australians from more than 7,100 instances of fraudulent behaviour. ...Read more
Scams
5 ways to protect yourself from online scammers
As consumers’ preferences change from traditional retail to online shopping, they are being advised to keep an eye out for potential scams. ...Read more
Scams
‘A perfect storm’: ASIC delivers new investment scam warning
The corporate regulator has delivered a new caution to consumers as reports of misconduct rise 20 per cent. ...Read more
Scams
$634m loss: Scammers getting smarter
Australians lost more than $634 million to scams in 2019 alone, a figure calculated from the more than 350,000 reports of fraudulent activity made to Scamwatch, other government agencies and the big f...Read more
Scams
7 important tips to avoid falling into an investment scam
With the news that Western Australians alone have lost nearly $5 million to investment scams this financial year, WA ScamNet has provided some insight on how consumers can avoid falling into such fina...Read more
Scams
Online shoppers flock to retail scam
While traditional retail continues to struggle from the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, online retail has surged, leading to the higher risk of scammers, an online provider has warned. ...Read more
Scams
Qld raises alarm on COVID-19 fraud
The rise in scam activity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted Queensland’s Office of Fair Trading to issue its own warning to consumers. ...Read more
Scams
Beware these 5 COVID-19 scams
Since the outbreak of COVID-19, more than 2,000 coronavirus-related scam reports with losses totaling more than $700,000 have been lodged with the consumer watchdog. So, how can you avoid it happening...Read more
More articles
Website Notifications
Get notifications in real-time for staying up to date with content that matters to you.