Jessica Wang* says COVID-19 has created a surge in fraudulent activity, with scammers targeting those in search of a furry companion.
While the coronavirus lockdown may have been responsible for a surge in pet adoptions, it’s also created a spike in “puppy scams”, says the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
The trade authority says Australians have lost nearly $300,000 to puppy scams in 2020, with spikes in April almost five times higher than average.
In comparison, the entire year of 2019 only saw $360,000 lost in similar scams.
Puppy “panic buyers” seeking a pet during social isolation were especially targeted by scammers and the breeds most reported were cavoodles and French bulldogs.
“A lot of people are stuck at home and going online to buy a pet to help them get through the loneliness of social isolation,” says ACCC Deputy Chair, Delia Rickard.
“Unfortunately, the rush to get a new pet and the unusual circumstances of COVID-19 makes it harder to work out what’s real or a scam.”
According to Ms Rickard, fake websites, ads on online classifieds and social media are the most common methods used by scammers to lure puppy buyers.
They’re then asked to make upfront payments via money transfer to secure the sale of their pet, with some scammers also using COVID-related reasons to further increase prices.
“Once you have paid the initial deposit, the scammer will find new ways to ask for more money, and scammers are now using the COVID-19 pandemic to claim higher transportation costs to get across closed interstate borders or additional fees for ‘coronavirus treatments’,” Ms Rickard says.
“Unfortunately, once you make the payments, the seller will cease all contact.”
For pet enthusiasts eager to add a furry member to their household, the safest option is to only adopt or buy from a seller you can meet in person, as “scam websites can look quite convincing”.
Price can also be a giveaway.
“If the price looks too good to be true, it probably is,” Ms Rickard advises.
“Research the seller by running an internet search using the exact wording in the ad and do a reverse image search for pictures of the specific puppy, as you’re likely to be dealing with a scammer if you find matching images or text on multiple websites,” Ms Rickard said.
While puppy scams are a particularly malicious ploy to dupe families and individuals after a furry companion, COVID-19 has become a hot bed for fraudulent activity.
Scamwatch — a website run by the ACCC — reports they received over 2,000 coronavirus-related scam reports with over $700,000 in reported losses since the outbreak of the virus.
Fake government scams involving welfare benefits and superannuation and phishing scams for personal information are among the most common ploys.
“If you think you have been scammed, contact your bank or financial institution as soon as possible,” advises Ms Rickard.
* Jessica Wang writes for News.com.au.
This article first appeared at www.news.com.au.
