British Columbians still getting swindled by pandemic puppy scams

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VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — They’re cute, they’re sweet, and they’re still being used by scammers to get your attention.

Despite a number of warnings, B.C. Mounties are using Fraud Prevention Month to try and hit the point home: steer clear of puppy scams in the province.

Sgt. Kris Clark is the Media Relations Officer for Federal Serious and Organized Crime, and says ultimately, if it’s too good to be true, then it probably is.

“You just want to do your homework. Make those connections [in-person]. Usually what happens when it’s a scam is you can’t make those connections. You can’t visit the dog beforehand. You can’t talk to the person over the phone. Those sorts of things, everything is done online or by email,” he tells NEWS 1130.

The pandemic has created a bit more of a struggle with people trying to add a four-legged friend to their home. People are using technology instead of face-to-face methods, which is ultimately how people end up losing their hard-earned cash.

RELATED: Canadians to collectively lose $3M in pandemic-related pet scams: Better Business Bureau

What’s more, no dog breed is excluded to the dupe, though some are utilized more than others.

“Purebreds come at a premium, when you’re trying to find a dog. There are certain things you can do to verify the dog exists. I mean, for one, talk to the person on the phone, try to go and meet the dog before you commit to the purchase.

Clark also notes how unnerving it is to see how many criminals will ask for compassionate boarding and capitalize on that.

“Maybe the pet doesn’t fit your family; there’s rescues for that specific purpose. In this it would be where somebody is allegedly advertising, like offering up a dog in that sort of situation. We see it pulls at the heartstrings because there are people out there that would like to give that dog a home.”

While Mounties were not immediately able to provide NEWS 1130 with exact stats of how many pet-related scams have taken place since the pandemic began, a study done by the Better Business Bureau last year suggested Canadians would collectively lose about $3 million due to pandemic-related pet swindles.

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