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Internet Fraud, Classifieds Scams, Abuse and Suspicious Replies
are world wide issues that have become widespread in targeting
sellers and buyers everywhere specially on the Internet. Often
this involves buyers from Nigeria, Africa, Holland and other
countries. In recent years, online Pet Classifieds scams have
increased and have affected many people.
Online classifieds scams pose threats to both sellers and
buyers.
Posing As A Seller: A Person can post an ad for a puppy that
only exist in the item description. Actually, seller doesn't
have the puppy that he/she is trying sell or give away. Seller
will then ask for money and refer them to the shipping company
who is supposed to send the puppy to the buyer. Buyer waits for
few days and contacts the seller, but no answer. Tries again for
couple of more days..no answer. Finally buyer decides to call
the shipping company with the reference number for the puppy.
Shipping company replies that they don't have anything related
to this reference number or it is not for your puppy. Buyer
loses money.
Posing As A Buyer: A scammer can pose as a buyer of a puppy and
contacts the seller. Buyer is desperate to buy and accepts your
listed price and suggest that his/her agent will pick up the
puppy with a check that is more than the asking price. In
return, they ask buyer to deduct amount for the item, get
remaining amount and give a fake cashier's check. Seller will
lose the puppy and the money.
Check any websites who have classifieds, if they don't have a
warning about online scams, they should have!
There are ways you can protect yourself from these scams, visit
our Scam Alert page on http://www.petboro.com/scam.aspx where
you can find examples of scams and emails and list of known
scammer emails that people have reported to us.
About the author:
Courtesy of Petboro.com
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