2008
Consumer Direct East Midlands is warning consumers of a new scam offering people the chance to adopt a puppy.
7th February 2008
Dog lovers are being conned out of large sums of money for puppies that do not exist. The con artists place online adverts, via legitimate websites, for pedigree puppies available for ‘adoption’ or offer puppies free to a good home, as long as the prospective owner agrees to pay for transport costs.
Via an exchange of emails, the scammers request the funds be sent by money transfer and claim they will arrange to have the puppy flown and delivered to you upon receipt. But once the consumer parts with their money, the con artists then request a further fee to cover insurance and inoculation fees which need to be paid before delivery can be made.
Consumers end up paying hundreds of pounds before finding out that no puppy is going to be delivered.
Sara Barry, Consumer Direct East Midlands Manager says:
'Although these adverts can seem genuine, and however cute the pictures might be, I would advise people not to buy a pet on impulse and to choose a reputable, local breeder so that you can see the animal in person. To avoid falling victim to these types of scam, make sure you know who you are dealing with – always independently confirm a seller's name, address and telephone number. Never rely on just an email address as a method of contact.'
'And remember that if an offer seems too good to be true it usually is!'
It is also worth remembering that there are lots of unwanted animals in rescue homes and shelters that are in need of a loving home.
February 2008 is scams awareness month, a campaign from the Office of Fair Trading which aims to provide consumers with the skills and knowledge necessary to recognise and resist scams. For information on how to avoid becoming a victim you can read the OFT guide to beating the scammers or contact Consumer Direct for advice on 08454 04 05 06.
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MEDIA enquiries:
Georgina Barton
Tel: 01522 535792
Mobile: 07768 840239
Email: georgina.barton@consumerdirect-eastmidlands.gov.uk
NOTES
1. Consumer Direct is a telephone and online consumer advice service funded by government and managed by the Office of Fair Trading. It operates in partnership with Local Authority Trading Standards Services to offer consumers clear, practical and impartial advice and information.
2. Consumer Direct has around 350 trained advisers in 11 contact centres across England, Wales and Scotland.
3. The eleven partner authorities that make up Consumer Direct Yorkshire and the Humber are: York, East Riding, Hull, North East Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire, Rotherham, West Yorkshire, Sheffield, Doncaster, Barnsley and North Yorkshire. The service was launched in August 2004.
4. The information and advice helpline is available on a single national telephone number - 08454 04 05 06 from 0800 – 1830 Monday to Friday, and 0900 – 1300 Saturday, excluding bank holidays and public holidays.
5. A Welsh-speaking Consumer Direct service is available on 08454 04 05 05. Minicom users should call 08451 28 13 84.
6. Calls to the Consumer Direct 0845 numbers are charged at no more than four pence per minute from a BT landline. Call charges from other landline providers or mobile phones may vary. Please check the rate with your phone service provider.
7. Northern Ireland has its own service called ConsumerLine (available on 08456 00 62 62) which is similar to Consumer Direct. Visit the ConsumerLine website.
