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Alert Details

This business has 1 alert.

Important Information

Additional Info

This website(s) is operating a Puppy Scam
If you are looking for a pet to add to your family, be on the lookout for scams. As more consumers turn to the internet to find new pets, more scams are popping up online. Experts say a shocking 80% of sponsored advertisements about pets may be fake.
For More information about Puppy Scams and how to Avoid them please visit: bbb.org/puppyscam
Tips for avoiding puppy scams:
- Don't buy a pet without seeing it in person or at a minimum consider a video call with the seller so you can see the seller and the actual pet for sale.
- Do an internet search of the picture of the pet you are considering. If the same picture appears on multiple websites, you may be dealing with a fraud. You also can search for text from ads or testimonials to see if the seller copied it from another site.
- Never pay a stranger with a money order or through Western Union or Moneygram or using a mobile payment app like Zelle or CashApp or a Gift Card. These payment methods offer no recourse and no way to get your money back if you are the victim of a scam.
- Always use a credit card in case you need to dispute the charges. Fraudsters may claim to accept credit cards, but may steal your credit card information to use it in other scams or inform you that payment didn't go through and request the payment via alternative methods like mentioned above.
- Research prices for the breed you are interested in adopting. If someone is advertising a purebred dog for free or at a deeply discounted price, and then other payment is required for services like vaccination or shipping you could be dealing with a fraudulent offer.
- Consider reaching out to a local animal shelter. Many shelters are looking for fosters to help relieve the animal's stress and reduce overcrowding at their facilities. Humane Society of the United States refers consumers to local shelters.

What if you have been a victim of a puppy scam?
- File a report with BBB's Scam Tracker at www.bbb.org/scamtracker
- Report Website to Petscams.com
- Report to your credit card issuer - if you provided your credit card number, even if the transaction was not completed.
- Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov or Call 1-877-FTC-HELP
- Homeland Security Investigations at the Department of Homeland Security also handles international fraud. Call 866-DHS-2-ICE (866-347-2423) (from U.S. and Canada)
- In Canada, report to the Canadian Antifraud Centre at https://www.antifraudcentre-centreantifraude.ca/report-signalez-eng.htm or Call 1-888-495-8501

If you sent money through Western Union, MoneyGram, Green Dot MoneyPak or a mobile payment app (i.e. Zelle or CashApp) contact those companies directly for information about the transactions. They also download their complaints into the FTC's Consumer Sentinel database, which police around the country can access.
- Green Dot 800-795-7597
- Western Union 1-800-448-1492
- MoneyGram 1-800-926-9400
- Zelle 1-844-428-8542 or visit: https://www.zellepay.com/support/scam or https://www.zellepay.com/pay-it-safe/understanding-fraud-and-scams for more information.
- CashApp 1-855-351-2275 or visit: https://cash.app/help/us/en-us/6482-recognize-scams BBB conducted an investigation based on recent consumer complaints and/or BBB Scam Tracker Reports to determine this business/website(s) is operating a Puppy Scam.

Consumers alleged not receiving the promised puppy that was paid for and the business did not issue refunds.

This BBB business profile includes all similar business names, addresses, phone numbers and/or websites that came to BBB's attention.

*Scammers use a physical address to appear more legitimate. The address usually has no connection to the scam business.

- The website, www.perfectminiatureschnauzerpuppies.com, was created on November 29, 2021.

- BBB received mail returned from the address in Cape Coral, FL, which is also used by multiple other scammers receiving the same type of complaint activity.

- BBB was not able to verify if the pictures of the listed puppies belong to the business or if they were stolen from social media. The puppies listed on their website are advertised to be at 11 weeks old as of Devember 15th, 2021, however the picture of "Pablo" was stolen from a clothing website that posted the same picture on April 23, 2021. This picture has been used in multiple pet scam websites advertising the puppy to be a different breed of dog, depending on the website.

Customer Complaint

BBB received the following Scam Tracker submission(s):

- Created December 10, 2021:
"Wanted to purchase Schnauzer puppy. Contacted via email. Person texted me. Conversed about the puppy. Asked questions. Decided to pay $300 deposit. I still wasn't quite easy so i started googling address etc. address showed up on BBB. I googled address and it doesn't look like anything in the pictures. Began examining pictures and saw carpet etc. and Florida home normally gave tile floors. I was supposed to drive 5 hours to get the puppy and I'm glad I did check more first. I lost $300 in the midst of not checking beforehand. Make sure you give through the steps of checking out the website beforehand. Do research."