CALEDONIA -- Caledonia police are issuing a warning after they say four victims were scammed out of thousands of dollars while trying to purchase puppies they found for sale online.
According to police, the victims wired money to Texas, Georgia and Florida. The four victims were scammed out of a total of $2,655. They were told as soon as they wired money to the seller, their puppy would be transported by air and delivered to their doorstep.
Police said depending on the breed, puppies can be expensive. You should be cautious if someone is willing to sell you a puppy that normally costs over $1,000 for half that amount.
Additionally, if the seller states they use a transport company that is based in the USA, and has branches around the world, Google it.
Police said you should watch out for foreign accents when discussing the purchase and grammatical errors in written correspondence. Sometimes foreigners have a hard time translating the English language which results in strange grammar and incorrect punctuation. This could indicate the seller/scammer is outside of the U.S.
Watch for fake microchip numbers, police said. There is a website that you can enter your pet's microchip number to see if it is a valid number.
Police stressed that there are many reputable breeders all over the country. If you want to purchase a puppy from someone you don't know, get references and do research on them. Call people who have purchased pets from seller/breeders, and ask questions -- so you don't fall victim to a scam.