'Cute puppy' scams have cost lonely Australians $300,000 during the coronavirus pandemic in fees for pets that don't exist
- People have lost nearly $300,000 over scams pretending to sell cute puppies
- People have been taking advantage of coronavirus lockdown restrictions
- They ask for money to cover the cost of transporting the dog to you then vanish
- Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19
Lonely Australians are being warned to watch out for 'cute puppy' scams during the coronavirus lockdown period.
Australians have lost nearly $300,000 in 2020 after scammers set up fake online posts pretending to sell sought-after dog breeds.
Fake sellers have taken advantage of lockdown conditions and demanded up-front payments before the animals are sent away.
Five times more has been lost in scams related to fake pet sales this year already than the whole of 2019, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
People have lost nearly $300,000 in 2020 after scammers set up fake online posts pretending to sell sought-after dog breeds (stock)
'A lot of people are stuck at home and going online to buy a pet to help them get through the loneliness of social isolation,' ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.
'Unfortunately the rush to get a new pet and the unusual circumstances of COVID-19 makes it harder to work out what's real or a scam.'
Many of the advertisements are for cavoodles or French bulldogs.
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'Once you have paid the initial deposit, the scammer will find new ways to ask for more money, and scammers are now using the COVID-19 pandemic to claim higher transportation costs to get across closed interstate borders or additional fees for 'coronavirus treatments',' Ms Rickard said.
She said once you make the payments the seller will stop making contact.
'The safest option is to only buy or adopt a pet you can meet in person and if you cannot do that during the current lockdown restrictions, consider putting the search on hold,' Ms Rickard said.
ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said 'the unusual circumstances of COVID-19 makes it harder to work out what's real or a scam'
She said many people are being contacted via email and that the scams can look quite convincing.
Ms Rickard said it's important to research the seller and do a reverse image search of the dog.
'If you think you have been scammed, contact your bank or financial institution as soon as possible,' Ms Rickard said.
Scamwatch has received 2,000 reports of various scams during isolation.
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