A woman who was fleeced of an astonishing $90,000 while buying a pandemic puppy online is among a massive surge in Australians falling victim to scammers during COVID.
Sunshine Coast-based IDCARE, which helps scam victims, said the woman had responded to an online advertisement offering a Groodle for $1000 — a very cheap price for the hybrid Golden Retriever-Poodle breed.
IDCARE analyst Kathy Sundstrom explains the woman wanted the pet as a present for her daughter, but ended up losing a staggering amount of money and never received the dog.
After making initial contact with the fake seller, the woman paid the $1000 advertised price and excitedly prepared for the puppy’s arrival.
But she then received another email from the fake breeder.
“The ‘puppy seller’ sent a follow up email that she would have to pay the additional freight cost, of $2400. That seemed reasonable, so Maureen sent the money,” explained Ms Sundstrom.
“But then there were the vaccination costs and the vet bills and the insurance. All of a sudden, her puppy was becoming expensive.
“However, in the scheme of things, it still seemed reasonable, and Maureen (not her real name) sent the money.
“But then the ‘puppy owner’ told her the dog they were expecting had contracted a serious illness. The vet bills were going to be extensive and the ‘puppy owner’ couldn’t afford to pay.
“They were going to have to let Maureen’s little dog die.
“Maureen transferred the money — in total she sent $90,000 — and still the dog never arrived.”
On top of that, the woman had given her driver’s licence details to the scammer and was now at risk of identity theft.
Pet scam reports to the ACCC’s Scamwatch in 2021 are on track to exceed last year’s losses by 20 per cent, with Australians expected to unwittingly hand over $2.5 million.
So far this year Scamwatch has received 1,171 reports about puppy scams, with reported losses of $1.57 million (January 1 to August 15).
The most popular breeds for puppy scams in 2021 are King Charles Cavaliers and Dachshunds.
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IDCARE’s own data from people who have contacted them for help shows the average loss was $4,400 and most puppy scams occurred on fake websites after people saw an advert online.
Ms Sundstrom said that the fake websites often copied the registration and business details of legitimate breeders to make themselves look more real.
“The genuine breeder then has the frustration of dealing with calls from angry people wanting their puppy,” she said.
“We noticed puppy scams escalated after the start of the pandemic, with the majority of clients reporting these scams coming from Queensland.”
Ms Sundstrom said it wasn’t just the lost money that had an impact on victims but the emotional toll.
In Maureen’s case she had excitedly gone out and purchased a dog bed, a training crate and chew toys in anticipation of the arrival.
“Her family had created an emotional bond with an animal that was never going to be coming. They were grieving the loss of something that would never be,” Ms Sundstrom said.
Today the dog bed is still in the family’s lounge and the toys remain untouched, but Maureen hasn’t had the heart to begin searching for a family pet again.
So how can you shop safely online for your new pooch?
IDCARE advises to try and inspect the puppy before sending any money.
Don’t rely on online videos because even those can be faked or pulled off other sites.
Do your research and look for independent reviews of the website and breeder.
And if the “breeder” asks you for a copy of your driver’s licence to “verify who you are”, be extra cautious.
Do you have a scam experience to share as a warning to others? Let us know via news@sunshinecoastnews.com.au
