When the Cahill family received an email offering two free Siberian huskies, they jumped at the chance. The details were fairly simple: send $400 via Western Union to pay for their safe shipping from overseas.
“They almost had me convinced,” says Miss Cahill, “but I’m glad I went with my gut and didn’t pay the money.” Many other families are not as lucky. Scammers are luring pet lovers out of thousands of dollars with photos of cute puppies, heart-breaking stories, and irresistible prices.
These email scammers are becoming increasingly savvy. Often, they copy verbiage from reputable sellers and breeders. In the Cahill’s case, the scammer used the letterhead of the Independent Pet and Animal Transportation Association International (IPATA), a non-profit worldwide trade association for animal handlers, pet movers, kennel operators, and veterinarians who are dedicated to the care and welfare of pets and animals during transport.
Pet scams are on the rise. In fact, Fraudwatchers.org, a non-profit anti-scam organization manned entirely by volunteers, reported that in 2009 the number of pet scam postings on the site was more than double the total postings of past years combined.
To avoid becoming a victim, use common sense and follow these tips:
- Always insist on a formal contract. The document should detail the method of transportation, timeframe, airline of carriage, and all associated costs. A health certificate should also be provided.
- Check references. If the seller indicates that a specific company will handle the shipping, get complete details for the shipping company and then check them out.
- Check affiliations. In order to convey authenticity, a scammer may claim to be a member of the IPATA. If this is the case, simply look up the company name in the IPATA member directory (visit www.ipata.com and click on “Find a Pet Shipper”) to verify if this is true.
- Check the phone number. Insist that you get a phone number from the seller, then test the number to make sure a real person answers, even if it’s a long distance international call.
- Never send money through services such as Western Union or MoneyGram. Most reputable dealers will request that you wire transfer funds to their company bank account or will accept a credit card or PayPal payment.
Cahill knew there was something strange happening when the scammer asked her to send the money to an individual, rather than the company he supposedly represented. To keep another family from falling for the scam, she reported the incident to online databases “I just wanted the company to know,” says Cahill, “and perhaps do something about the scammers.”
If you are a victim of a pet scam, report the perpetrators online at www.fraudwatchers.org, www.cybercrimeops.com, or www.antifraudintl.org.
Gay O’Brien is the immediate past president of the Independent Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA) and sits on the agency’s board of directors. She and her husband Jim established Burlingame’s O’Brien Animal Transportation & Services (OATS) in 1995. For more information about OATS, call 650-525-9099 or visit www.animaltransportation.com.
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