Example scams (see also lost pet sample scams, you'll see a pattern emerging...!)
These are only a tiny sample of the real life samples we have been sent from victims worldwide. Shame on these scammers. Note their poor spelling and grammar...another clue...Plus they are geographically challenged ie) Buffalo, Eire..?!! Bamenda, New Zealand?!

The scammers either post ads on classifieds websites to catch you (including ours, which we quickly delete) or sometimes they will reply to YOUR Pet Wanted or Pet for Adoption or Sale ad as well...
Example scam replies to ads
Example scam ads

Please note we also immediately delete any ads for endangered and illegal animals, such as monkeys etc. We have no wish to contribute to that shameful business...

Scammers will often pretend to be priests, nuns, AIDS workers, soldiers, peace workers etc. They trade on these lies to make you feel you can trust them.

Also realise that these pets do NOT EVEN EXIST in the first place, they are made up stories, using pictures they pinch from the internet and simply recycle over and over. So when they tell you your pup may die if you wont send more money for taxes, insurance, bigger cage, strike action etc etc - don't be fooled. There is no pet whatsoever. Scammers say these things to suck more money out of you. When you've already paid once, they hit you again and again for more money with more stories, until finally you click...The worst case I have ever seen was US based person scammed of about $2000 US dollars for a monkey, they sent money 5x before they realised it was suspicious....

We now get 3 - 4 pet scams sent to us from victims (or near miss victims) from all over the world, every single day. So our collection is ever growing...we have published only a tiny representative handful here.

Here is a true and sadly typical summary of what will happen if you do send money from a US resident who was scammed...
"I think I definitely fell for a scam from Boulua, Cameroon. The person was supposed to be selling me a parrot and an airport in Douala Cameroon was supposed to be holding the parrot. I did send $200 as a down payment, then he said he needed pet insurance, I sent $50. Then they both emailed me saying they need $190. I did not send that. I told him I was turning him in if I didn't get either my money or the Macaw, he keeps emailing me with a line, can you help me stop this guy ,thank you"
(victim has placed this in the authorities hands now...)

Example scam replies to ads
(Scammers names have been replaced by XXXXXXX or "scammer", email addresses have been changed also....not to protect them, but ourselves, from their continuing threats......spelling mistakes have been left uncorrected, so you can see how they write. One day they will learn to use a spell checker and it will not be so obvious, so look at the content and especially the country of origin. If it's outside NZ, forget it.)

 

(real life) Example scam classified ad

Pet for Adoption Scam (you pay the shipping, then never get the non existent pet) Headline: English Bull Dog For Adoption (SCAM!!!) I have an English bull dog for adoption. I bought this lovely and healthy dog for my late son who died through a gasly car accident hence each time i see this dog it gives me memories of him i feel so sad and troubled hence i am in search of anyone who could adopt this dog and pay just for its shipment cost to whatever destination and equally an adoption which will surfice just to put a flower rib on my late boys grave.Just email me as soon as possible. Dog has all its travelling papers and shall not be quarantined at any point in time for what so ever reason. The dog is named after my late boy Micky.thanks

Adorable English Bull Dog Puppies For Sale 800 Dollars hello purebred english bull puppies avialble for sale,she is call kenny well train akc reg health gurrantee and health certificate,have she shote uptill date and deworwed.some along with all her papers including the crate sign and her cage,she is for valentine for lover and caring people of pets,if you are interested mail me back for more information.or you can call me at 237 XXX  XXXX or mail me at XXXXy@yahoo.com thanks waiting for any one to have her.

There is no end to their thieving creativity. Here is a religious Christmas scam just in time for the season of joy (and scamming).... The only present you'll get from this lot is a very gaping hole in your wallet. Headline: Adorable Yorkie Pops And Enlgish Bull Pops For Xmas  the holly sisters of st anne solidat convent offers an xmas gift to pet lovers round the glob.as their own tocken in xmas. english bull dog puppies and yorkie pups are kept assied to offer to pet lovers arround the glob.he she who is previlage to come across this advert and loves pets should contact immidiatly.be one of the gods appointed persons to celebrate the xmas 2006 with the holly sisters of st anne solidat.  may god be with he,she,who is previlage.  stay blessed.

Websites to avoid In 2006 we discovered scammers copying genuine websites and then changing a few contact details, to trick you into trusting them...such as these websites below... http://www.dominicpetshome.page.tl/ 2008 http://www.terence4babieshomepets.page.tl/ 2008 www.markpuppy.net is an almost exact copy of a genuine US based website with a few details changed, importantly the hoax site says they are Africa based and only accepts irreversible wire payments. markpuppy.net claims to be the website of a Vet Centre in West Africa. www.universalpetsexpress.net is an almost exact copy of a genuine US based pet shipper's website. No doubt there are a lot more. The trend prior to that was the scammers making their own "home made" websites, however they then progressed to the copied website style of scam which is harder to spot (unless you read this!) Scam websites usually meet some or all of these criteria... 1) They are NOT based in your own country. Often openly based in Cameroon...or Africa. They may not mention the country but a city ie) Yaounde, Bafoussam or Littoral. Type any unknown location unfamiliar to you into Google or get an atlas, you may find they are not in your own country... 2) Often use poor spelling/grammar 3) Expect payment by irreversible wire i.e.) Western Union or Moneygram etc 4) Things just don't add up.. Deal ONLY with people in your OWN country. See the pet before you pay for it, pay only by "refundable means". Wire such as Western Union is not reversible! Your money is gone forever. Look very closely into the location of any person selling an animal. Use Google to check out any email addresses, company names, city names, (fictitious) airline names - even a real airline name does not mean they are for real. One scam website in Cameroon supposedly uses Continental Airs - not a real airline. Also often quoted is Jetma, another non existent airline/service. Another person in the USA who was scammed, was quoted a genuine company, DHL, who would ship. They were even given a supposed DHL reference number, which turned out to be non existent. The animal did not even exist, they just used a credible company to help hide their scam. That person lost over 250$ USD to that scammer... Updates / New online pet scam twists April 2006: We are now aware of at least one seemingly US based website, that is totally bogus also. Supposedly a pet transport company, but they also have "pets for sale" on their website. July 2006: New trend? Thailand based pet scammers are pretending to run animal welfare shelters, they are probably running pet shipping (money laundering scams). They also have their own web pages to fool you as to their credibility. Please email any correspondence which may be of interest if you were scammed or nearly scammed. November 2006: Now scammers appearing from Mexico. Christmas "themed" scams. Scammers proactively mentioning scams to you, to throw you off guard. Scammers pretending to be authorities, ministries, airports, officials etc (they pretend to help you or reassure you but in reality they are all the same person and they all want your money for these "favours". Most common breeds scam ads are for are Bull Dogs, Yorkies, Chihuahua, Monkies, Parrots and eggs. November 2006: Scammers pretending they will give you a pet for free AFTER you wire a sizeable donation by (irreversible means such as Western Union) to an  "African Orphanage" (or similar sob story). They will pretend to live nearby you in New Zealand, but not give you their address for pickup, UNTIL you have sent the funds. Obviously once they have the funds (orphanage is non existent), you never hear from them again...BEWARE! November 2006: Ads in newspapers by scammers with email contacts. When you contact you find out they start talking about international shipping of pets. I even saw one in my local NZ newspaper and it took a fair amount of convincing to get them to understand and accept it was a scam. December 2006: Wholesale copying of genuine US based websites, fake website is now in Africa though and they only accept wire payment. See this link for fake sites we are aware of, this is by no means an exhaustive list... Other useful links about internet scams, especially internet pet scams fraudwatchers.org - Report internet scams and get free forum support. Excellent indepth resource. CaveatEmptorus.com  Well it seems we here in new Zealand are not alone in this, these scams are a worldwide issue! More on internet pet scams and examples are to be found on this very good site which is dedicated to educate to prevent internet fraud. http://caveatemptorus.com/dogscams.html http://www.scambusters.org/petscams.html Form to report scams/fraud originating from yahoo emails Scam Busters New Zealand.  Focusing on NZ internet scams, largely online auctions, but also others plus online forums and excellent NZ links to police, consumer, Fair Go etc http://www.scambusters.co.nz