COLUMBUS, Ohio — While the holiday season is a time for giving, that doesn’t stop some scammers from attempting to steal money, even if that means pretending to sell someone a dog.
Last year, the Better Business Bureau reported that $2 million was lost to online dog scams.
One central Ohio family lost nearly $3,000 when they tried to buy a Siberian husky from a website.
Dwaine Tipton is a legally blind veteran who wanted a dog for emotional support.
His wife, Wanda, said the dog was to keep him company when she wasn’t around.
After online shopping, Dwaine and Wanda found the dog they thought was a perfect match through a breeder from Oklahoma City.
“We contacted him and made arrangements. He priced the dog which was $850 and started the sequence right there,” said Dwaine.
Then, the couple was told to get in contact with Uship Royal to make a down payment on shipping the dog to Ohio.
“(They wanted) $750, but the money was refundable at the time we pick him up at the Columbus airport,” said Dwaine.
A few days later, the shipping company asked for more money.
The Tiptons couldn’t pay up, so the company said they’d charge the couple $50 a day to board the dog.
“We kept getting phone calls every day saying can’t you borrow from your family, can’t you do this, can’t you do that. We kept telling them no,” said Wanda.
Uship Royal said if the couple paid $2,300, they would reimburse them $5,000 for all of the fees after they picked up the dog.
The Tiptons never sent that money and asked for a refund of the money they’d already paid.
“They wouldn’t reimburse me the $2,700 that they owed me and that’s when I realized I was being scammed. So, as it stands right now, we have no dog, no money, no nothing back after all of this,” said Dwaine.
The scam took a big toll not only on their pocket but their mental health.
“Emotionally, it affected it a lot. I thought I was going to get a good support dog for the family and me. It's just everything's like the bottom dropped out of it,” he said.
The Tiptons aren’t the only ones who have fallen victim to an online dog scam.
Lee Anne Lanigan with the Better Business Bureau said this pet scam is very common.
“They are targeting anyone who is looking to get a particular breed at a low price,” said Lanigan.
How you can protect yourself against pet scams
For those considering a dog as a present for the holiday season, the BBB warns against ordering dogs online. If you do order online, do your research.
“Do a reverse image search of the pet you are looking for. If you find that pet on multiple sites, you can be sure this website you are on is probably newly created,” said Lanigan.
Lanigan said never pay via Venmo, Cash App, or Zelle because you won’t get your money back.
“All of those cash apps are what they say, treating money like a cash transaction,” said Lanigan.
“It really takes a toll on you so make sure you research and research before you attempt to send $1,” said Dwaine.
According to BBB, 80% of sponsored pet ads may be fake.
Do your research! Only purchase from a reputable dealer. Check BBB Business Profiles on BBB.org for complaints and customer reviews before you make the purchase.
Don’t buy a pet without seeing it in person. If that isn't possible, request a live video call to view the animal, meet the breeder, and evaluate the facility.
Conduct a reverse image search of the picture of the pet you are considering. If the same picture appears on multiple websites, it’s likely a fraud. You also can search for distinctive text from ads or testimonials, to see if the seller copied it from another website.
Avoid wiring money, or using a cash app or gift card. These payment methods offer no way to get your money back if you are the victim of fraud.
Do research to get a sense of a fair price for the breed you are considering. Think twice if someone advertises a purebred dog for free or at a deeply discounted price, it could be a fraudulent offer.
Consider reaching out to a local animal shelter. Many shelters are looking for fosters to help relieve animal stress and reduce overcrowding at their facilities.
If you think you have been scammed or have found a suspicious website, report it to:
- BBB Scam Tracker
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
- Petscams.com - tracks complaints, catalogs puppy scammers and endeavors to get fraudulent pet sales websites taken down