Credit: PA Internet News Service
Pennsylvania authorities are warning residents about scams relating to getting a new dog.
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The warning to residents came from Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro’s office after the recent arrests of five people who allegedly conspired together to fraudulently purchase puppies to resell for profit.
Pennsylvanians seeking a dog are advised to keep an eye out for scams like:
- Online ads offering very low buying prices for popular breeds – too good to be true ads.
- Delivery of a puppy where the consumer is asked to pay for transportation costs via a wire transfer to a third party.
- High pressure sales tactics from pet scammers asking for money be sent immediately to reserve the puppy.
“Always consider adopting pets locally and visiting the puppy in person before purchasing,” the attorney general’s office said in a statement.
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The investigation by special agents from the state attorney general’s office, Pennsylvania State Police troopers, and the Philadelphia Police Department discovered a series of alleged thefts that involved high-demand dog breeds, such as French bulldog and Yorkshire terrier puppies, some selling for up to $20,000. With over 30 individual instances of theft, this operation resulted in a loss of more than $430,000 for the dog breeders.
Authorities said the defendants used fake cashier’s checks and counterfeit cash to purchase the puppies from breeders in Lancaster County and then sold the stolen dogs through social media platforms, such as Instagram.
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There have been thefts of French bulldogs reported all around the nation. Lady Gaga’s dog walker was shot in 2021 as two of her French bulldogs were being stolen.
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