1. Fake Websites and Listings

Scammers create professional-looking websites with enticing puppy listings. These sites often feature adorable photos, detailed descriptions, and low prices. However, these puppies don’t exist, and the scammers disappear once they receive payment.

2. Too Good to Be True Prices

Be cautious if a breeder offers a purebred puppy at an unbelievably low price. Scammers prey on eager buyers who want a deal. Remember that quality puppies from reputable breeders come at a fair cost. Rather look at out document on How to Identify Legitimate Breeders. Be cautious of breeders with puppies readily available as it is a Red Flag for puppy SCAMS AND puppy mills.

3. Urgency and Emotional Manipulation

Scammers use urgency to pressure buyers into quick decisions. They claim the puppy needs a home urgently, it’s the last puppy or that they’re moving and can’t keep the dog. Emotional manipulation makes buyers overlook Red flags.

4. Courier Scams

Scammers insist on using a specific courier service to deliver the puppy. They ask for additional payments for crates, vaccinations, or insurance. In reality, there’s no puppy, and the courier service is part of the scam. They will make their shipping or courier system look glamorous on their website and will try their utmost for you to make use of it, why? Because to scam you out of more money. To start to threaten you with all sort of stories from abandonment to SPCA court cases etc. so that you can pay more and more money. The courier will normally call you directly because it is NOT suspicious that a person in a foreign accent call you from a fake courier company but the fake Breeder won’t call you normally. We also list fake Couriers in our Scam Websites.

The Crate Story 

5. Fake Registration Papers

Scammers provide counterfeit registration papers, claiming the puppy is purebred and registered. Always verify registration with legitimate organizations like the Kennel Union of South Africa (KUSA).

6. Refusal to Meet in Person

Scammers avoid face-to-face meetings. They may claim their location is far away or that they’re too busy. Never buy a puppy without seeing it in person. Read real stories of victims on our Facebook

7. Payment via Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) Scammers prefer EFT payments or even e wallet because they’re difficult to trace/stop. They demand immediate clearance and may even ask for extra fees under various pretexts.

8. No Health Guarantees

Legitimate breeders mostly provide breed specific health testing and ensure puppies are vaccinated, microchipped and dewormed. Scammers won’t offer any guarantees because there’s no puppy to begin with.  Scammers won’t be able to provide you with a legitimate Veterinarian’s contact details or any form of paper trail of their existence except for their fake website/social media page.

9. Stolen Photos

Scammers steal puppy photos from legitimate breeders’ websites or social media profiles. A reverse image search can reveal if the same photo appears elsewhere online.

10. Avoiding Phone Calls

Scammers avoid phone conversations especially video calls!. They prefer email or text communication to maintain anonymity.

Remember to stay vigilant and research any breeder thoroughly before committing to a purchase. By being aware of these tactics, you can protect yourself from falling victim to puppy scams.