Puppy scam: South Simcoe police warn residents about buying pets online

Buyer beware. South Simcoe police are cautioning residents to be wary of buying pets online after an Innisfil, Ont., resident reported a puppy scam.

Police say an Innisfil woman found an ad for mini Goldendoodle puppies on Facebook Marketplace, which led to a website offering pups for sale.

The woman said the website appeared legitimate, so she paid a deposit for a pup.

According to police, the woman said the scammer began asking for additional payments for fees such as registration and the permit for shipping.

When requests for more money kept coming, the woman realized it was a scam and reported it to police. She did not receive her puppy and lost hundreds of dollars, police said.

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Police are using the incident to remind residents to not pay for a pet without seeing it first. It the pet can’t be seen in person, buyers should request a video call. People should never pay with Bitcoin, wire transfer, or gift card.

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Police also encourage people to research the name of the company or seller, and to Google the name along with the words ‘scam’ or ‘complaint’ to see if there are fraud warnings.

They say people should consider adopting pets from their local shelter or a local, reputable breeder.