Puppy scammers target prospective pet owners during coronavirus pandemic

People visiting cylixfrenchies.com might think they’re looking at a regular website for a puppy breeder.

The site claims to be operated by “a small family-owned kennel concentrating on breeding superior Teacup French Bulldog Puppies as family pets” out of Memphis, Tennessee.

But according to the Better Business Bureau, it’s a scam, WHBQ-TV reported.

This particular scam had victims in four states: Alaska, Missouri, Nevada and Tennessee.

But around the country, puppy scammers are hitting hard, the BBB said. Across North America, fraud in the industry is up, with pet scams accounting for more than 25% of all scams reported to the BBB Scam Tracker. And the organization said pet scams are now the “riskiest” scams, with 70% of victims ultimately losing money. The number of victims is likely higher, as many people don’t report the fraud, the BBB said.

In a blog post from May, the BBB told the story of one woman who lost more than $1,100 to two different puppy scammers.

“Many [people] have come across scammers advertising animals that don’t exist and are never shipped,” the agency wrote. “The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has given scammers the idea to ask for money up front or to make excuses as to why buyers can’t see the pet in person -- before heartbroken, would-be pet owners figure out they have been conned.”

The bureau recommended the following:

• Don’t buy a pet without seeing it in person.
• Avoid wiring money or using a cash app or gift card.
• Research normal prices for the breed you are interested in adopting.
• Consider reaching out to a local animal shelter.
• If you think you have been scammed or have found a suspicious website, report it to the BBB Scam Tracker and the Federal Trade Commission.

Read more at the American Kennel Club and the BBB.

Cox Media Group