It seems that fraudsters are targeting users of online classifieds websites worldwide with the so-called “Puppy Scam” or “Pets for Adoption” scam. Junk Mail is well aware of this scam and have already posted warnings about this on the past on this blog and on our Avoid Scams section on the website. This so-called scam involves the importing of unusual / exotic pets from outside the country’s borders. Often the items are advertised for sale with a local pre-paid cell number or cell number which does not exist (which lures the user into responding to them via e-mail). The advertiser will let you know they have recently relocated outside the country and are no longer able to care for their pet for whatever reason. In some cases they will claim to be missionaries somewhere in West Africa (usually Cameroon) and not capable of taking care of the pet. They do this to lure would be respondents into paying them a shipping amount to ship the animal (which probably does not exist). The e-mail responses from the fraudsters usually contain broken English.
This was the video report which was broadcast on a New York network television station:
For more safety tips, read our blog post which covers Hints when buying / selling pets via Junk Mail or read the other posts in our Safety & Security section of the Junk Mail blog.
I’ve come across someone using the names of supposed pet travel agencies – the two used were Pet Airways and Animal Airways. Among other things he wants a huge amount of R7000 for insuring the pet, after the pet gets ‘grounded’ at some airport. He finds cute, pics online to send to prospective new owners. He ‘gives’ pets away. Goes by the name of Micheal Doust – of course not real. Also demands payment for ‘airfare’ to some person in Cameroon. STAY AWAY.
Hi June – Thanks for sharing this information on this blog post with us. Please forward all the information that you’ve got to our Customer Care Department via ccc@junkmail.co.za. We may be able to post something about it on the Junk Mail Blog.