Anti-Scam
Protect yourself against Internet fraud!
The vast majority of listings are posted by honest people and trust. So you can do excellent business. Despite this, it is important to follow a few common sense rules following to prevent any attempt to scam.
Our advices
- Doing business with people you can meet in person.
- Never send money by Western Union, MoneyGram or other anonymous payment systems.
- Never send money or products abroad.
- Do not accept checks.
- Ask about the person you're dealing with another confirming source name, address and telephone number.
- Keep copies of all correspondence (emails, listings, letters, etc.) and details of the person.
- If a deal seems too good to be true, there is every chance that it is not and that it is a scam!
Recognize attempted scam
- The majority of scams have one or more of these characteristics:
- The person is abroad or traveling abroad.
- The person refuses to meet you in person.
- Payment is made through Western Union, Money Gram or check.
- The messages are in broken language (English or French or ...).
- The texts seem to be copied and pasted.
- The deal seems to be too good to be true.
How to spot a scam
Details matter.Scammers give vague pet descriptions. Legitimate sellers provide specifics on health, breed and background. |
Check the photos.Scammers often reuse stock photos or steal photos from other listings. Use reverse image search to verify them. |
Too many pets.Large numbers of pets for sale can indicate a puppy mill or fraudulent operation. Trusted breeders focus on quality care. |
Overly keen buyers.Buyers rushing the process without asking relevant questions are a red flag. |
Meet the mother.Reputable breeders will allow you to see how the young animals interact with their mother. If they refuse, consider it another red flag. |
Poor communication.Watch for vague, impersonal responses — common in scams. |
No neutral locations.Genuine breeders will want you to see their facilities and breeding conditions. Insist on visiting their premises instead of meeting somewhere else. |
Complicated terms.If a buyer offers to "handle everything" or asks for refunds after overpaying, be cautious as this can be a scam tactic. |
Check your paperwork.Lack of complete paperwork can indicate a problem and reputable breeders should provide it. This is important for the health of the animal and to verify its origin. |
