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11:11 05/04/2022
We are asking residents to remain vigilant to a scam involving puppies for adoption on Facebook Marketplace.
The scam involves fraudsters disguised as real people advertising puppies, like a three-month old Dachshund, for adoption.
The post is usually accompanied by photographs of a puppy and asks buyers to send a private message to the seller if they are interested in the offer.
The seller then advises potential buyers that while they don’t have to pay for the puppy, they will need to pay for delivery. The buyer sends their address to the seller and pays the delivery fee, but no puppy arrives, and the buyer is left out of pocket.
It’s been reported that the buyer’s home address has been shared with other buyers who opt to collect the puppy themselves. They arrive at someone else’s home address only to find out the puppy doesn’t exist.
We’re asking the public to be wary of similar posts on buy and sell sites like Facebook Marketplace, so they avoid falling victim to the scam.
Fraud Protect and Prevent Officer Sharon Hall, said: “It’s easy to see how people can fall in love with images of adorable animals on websites or on buy and sell sites online. However, fraudsters will exploit this and use it as the perfect opportunity to get victims to part with their money.
“If you can’t see the puppy to verify it is genuine, chances are it is a scam. It’s also important to check the language that’s being used in the post. Does it make sense, or does it sound as if they’ve used a translation programme? Never send your private details to anyone if you haven’t verified their identity or the product/s they are selling online. If you come across any suspicious adverts or sellers, you can use the online marketplace’s report function to report them.”
If you think you’ve been a victim of fraud, contact your bank immediately and report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040 or online.