North Bay Police advising of puppy scams.

Police say they received two complaints last week.

One concerned a puppy wanted ad on an on line web site advising they were giving away dogs.

The scam is that people would receive the dog said to be from British Columbia after the victim accepted a cheque and e-transferred the money to a shipping service to cover the cost.

After this was done the victim received a call from her bank advising that the cheque was fraudulent and she had to pay the bank the amount of the cheque, just over $2000.

The 2nd scam was another on-line ad.

The victim was put in contact with someone saying they just moved to Halifax and were unable to care for their dog.

The victim was advised that the cost for the dog will be free but she would have to pay for the shipping from Halifax.

The victim e-transferred $500 however the victim received a further request for funds to cover insurance and became suspicious.

When it comes to fraud protection you have to take your time and look for the red flags:

Spelling mistakes. Read emails, messages or websites. Misspelled common words: Red Flag
Buy from companies or individuals that are known. No reviews:  Red flag
Reviews: check the vendor’s feedback. If there is none, or very little, don’t take a chance.
Why is someone selling you product from so far away: Red flag
Use a credit card when shopping online; many offer protection and may give you a refund. (you can call the customer service number on the back of your credit card)
Regularly check your credit card statements for frequent or unknown charges.

(photo by station staff)

Filed under: north-bay-police, puppy-scam