BATON ROUGE, La. (BRProud) – The Better Business Bureau warns a new scam involving buying a new pet online has evolved amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The BBB’s Scam Tracker reports show potential pet owners are being told they have to pay extra for a crate or insurance, to have a pet shipped because of the coronavirus. According to the BBB, some victims were even asked to provide an alternate payment, such as a gift card, or mobile banking option that was not part of the original transaction.
If you come across either of these requests, it is a red flags that the offer or the seller is not legitimate.
The BBB has provided some tips on how to avoid puppy scams:
• Don’t buy a pet without seeing it in person.
• Avoid wiring money, if possible. Use a credit card, in case you
need to dispute the charges.
• Research prices for the breed you are interested in adopting.
• Consider reaching out to your local animal shelter.
• Learn about fraud in your area at BBB Scam
Tracker: https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/
