How do scammers target people looking to adopt or buy a pet?
Pet seekers face fake online pet listings where a 'puppy' never exists, fraudulent shipping-fee escalations, and breed-specific scam websites because the emotional attachment formed before a purchase is complete makes buyers reluctant to abandon the transaction.
Last reviewed: 10 June 2026
Explanation
Pet scams follow a consistent pattern: an appealing photo of a puppy, kitten, or exotic animal appears on a classified site or social media, priced below market. The 'seller' — often operating from overseas — communicates warmly and builds emotional connection around the animal. After a deposit is paid, escalating fees are demanded: shipping, insurance, veterinary clearance, a special travel crate. The animal never arrives.
The emotional mechanics of pet buying make this fraud especially effective. By the time a buyer has paid the deposit, they have named the animal, told their children, and mentally incorporated the pet into their family. Walking away means grieving a loss that feels real even though the animal never existed. Scammers leverage this sunk-cost psychology to extract multiple payments.
Fraudulent pet shipping companies are a parallel scam industry that feeds off the primary fraud: after the 'seller' creates a transportation need, a fake 'licensed pet transport' company charges for crates, insurance, and veterinary inspection, all while the animal still does not exist.
Legitimate shelters, rescues, and responsible breeders follow consistent practices: they want to know your living situation, ask about your experience with the breed, allow and encourage in-person visits, and do not accept only wire transfers or Venmo. The experience of a legitimate adoption or purchase involves more scrutiny of the buyer, not less.
Common red flags
- Seller is in a different state or country and offers to ship the pet after a deposit
- Photos of the pet return results from other websites or appear in multiple listings
- Price is well below breed average for a supposedly pedigreed animal
- After initial payment, additional shipping or insurance fees are requested
- Seller communicates only via email or messaging apps and deflects video calls showing the animal
- Payment is required by wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency only
What to do now
- Visit any animal in person, or at minimum on a live video call with the animal visible and identifiable
- Reverse image search every pet photo before sending any money
- Adopt from local shelters or contact breed-specific rescues verified through PetFinder
- Verify breeders through their breed's national club registry before purchasing
- Never send money via wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency for a pet purchase
- Report pet scam listings to the FTC, IC3, and the platform hosting the listing
Frequently asked questions
Why do pet scammers always need to ship the animal?
The shipping narrative removes the need for an in-person verification that would immediately expose the scam. Once a buyer accepts the premise that the animal cannot be seen in person, they have removed the most effective fraud-detection step. Legitimate sellers encourage visits; scammers create reasons why visits are impossible.
Is buying a pet online ever safe?
Local adoption from a shelter or meeting a breeder in person is always the safest option. If distance is truly unavoidable, research the breeder through their breed's national club, request live video with the animal shown next to a current newspaper or timestamped item, and use a payment method with fraud protection rather than wire or gift card.