The Doggy Bloggy

A scam involving pets is becoming more and more pervasive, claiming victims across the country in towns as far flung as D.C. and Kerrville, TX. It starts off with a too-good-to-be-true offer of an adorable pedigreed puppy for a ridiculously low price and it comes from outside the U.S. Usually this offer is made by an individual in an online post such as eBay. There will be a great sob story for why they can’t keep the puppy. They claim they are selling it for a very low price because they want the dog to be able to find a new home quickly.

After you’ve wire them the money, they send you all the shipping details – saying the puppy will be shipped using a highly reputable international pet moving company. The name of the moving company varies but it’s generally along the lines of Pet Movers Internationale, based in Cameroon, and they claim to take care of all the following:

* Prearrange all necessary flights, ensuring a direct connection when possible.
* Make sure that all necessary shots are current and that all paperwork is in place.
* Pick up your pet at the airport and deliver them to your house.
* Meet them at the destination airport and deliver them to your home.
* Handle them with care during flight.

The shipping info is accompanied by a note such as this: “Welcome to International Pet Moving service Washington Branch, the relocating pets best friend since 1977. We are working in the collaboration with the Continental and Delta airways. We are professional pet movers responsible for the relocation of pets to their new families. When your contract is with us, you are assigned a PERSONAL PET MOVE COUNSELOR who will work with you to arrange the fastest, most direct flight for your pet. We work with your relocation schedule to ensure as smooth a move as possible.”

But then instead of receiving a cherished new puppy, the only thing to arrive will be more and more requests for money. First they request special shipping fees, then they’ll request $120 for a new crate, as the puppy arrived in a crate inadequate for the flight, then it’s up to $900 for insurance and the list goes on. You are requested to make all of these payments via Wal-Mart money-gram. If the payment doesn’t arrive that day, you are also billed daily for the care and feeding of your alleged puppy, which you imagine to be sitting in a crate on a sweltering tarmac somewhere, waiting for you to come to the rescue.

Some people have been bilked for thousands of dollars with this scam. Efron Reveles of Kerrville, TX, believed he was getting a wonderful Great Dane puppy but more than $1,400 later he has realized sadly that she’s not coming.

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