Craigslist Pets: Avoid the Scams

May 26, 2023

Annette Thompson

Are you considering buying a pet on Craigslist? Awareness of the potential risks associated with these transactions is essential. In this article, we’ll discuss common types of Craigslist pet scams, how to spot them, and what measures you can take to safeguard against them.

Table of Contents

What Are Craigslist Pet Scams?

You might not know it, but online pet scams are VERY COMMON. According to The Better Business Bureau, over 15,000 reports of Craigslist pet scams were made in 2020 alone! The FTC estimates that only about 10 percent of victims report these crimes, so the number of people scammed is much higher.

Craigslist is an online platform targeted by scammers looking to exploit unsuspecting pet buyers. They will often ask for payment upfront and then disappear with the money without ever sending a puppy or any other animal. This scam typically involves a fraudster advertising a puppy or other animal for sale without actually owning the animal.

Be wary when considering buying an animal from Craigslist, as these scams can be challenging to spot. Read this entire article to learn how to avoid being a victim of a scam.

Keep in mind, there are plenty of other ways to find a new pet, like going through your local shelters or rescue organizations with regulations and oversight for the ethical treatment of animals. We link to many of those organizations below. Adopting an animal this way also helps combat unethical practices like backyard breeding or puppy mills while giving an abandoned dog or another type of animal their much-needed forever home!

Puppy Mill Craigslist Pet Scams

Purchasing a puppy from Craigslist can be dangerous, as you may not know its history or if it was bred ethically. These transactions often support unethical practices like backyard breeding and puppy mills.

To ensure your pet is safe and healthy, it’s better to work with shelters and rescue organizations with regulations to guarantee ethical animal treatments.

When searching for your new furry friend on Craigslist, always use caution and trust your instincts – if something seems too good to be true or someone is asking for money upfront without allowing an in-person meeting, it’s likely a Craigslist pet scam. Be aware that small cute breeds are more prone to scams on Craigslist than others; constantly research beforehand to recognize any red flags during the process.

Once you find a reputable seller or shelter that checks all the boxes, verify all their information before making any commitments – this helps protect you from potential issues down the line.

Before taking home a new pup from Craigslist, ask yourself, “Is this worth risking?” If so, consider adopting from Petco or Petsmart events instead – not only do they provide animal welfare oversight and help fight against unethical practices like puppy mills and backyard breeding by providing responsible pet ownership opportunities.

Taking the extra steps now will save you time and money later while keeping your new canine companion healthy and happy!

How to Spot Craigslist Pet Scams

Craigslist pet scams can happen anywhere, from Seattle to San Diego and Chicago to Waco, so always be cautious when searching Craigslist Puppy listings for your new pet. With so many animals out there ready to be taken home, it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement – but watch out for those shifty characters who might try to scam you!

To ensure that you don’t become the victim of a Craigslist pet scam, here are some things you can do:

Google the previous owner’s name and contact information. If the name or number provided seem suspicious, it’s best to move on.
Ask for photos of the animal in different settings, such as outside and inside the home. If they refuse or have poor-quality images, be wary.
Research similar ads online to ensure there isn’t a pattern of shady behavior with this particular seller.
ALWAYS meet the dog in person before sending a deposit or completing the transaction – this will help you decide if it’s right for you and ensure that the animal is being treated ethically and humanely. Totally avoid sellers unwilling to let you meet the pet in person before paying a deposit. Likewise, totally avoid breeders who won’t let you visit the place where the dog or cat was born and their mother and father live.
Verify any claims made by sellers about vet records or other documents related to the animal before making payment or agreeing to rehoming fees.

Here are some warning signs of potential Craigslist pet scams:

The seller asks for payment or personal information upfront.
The seller insists that you meet them somewhere instead of allowing you to visit the place where the puppy was born or meet their parents.
The seller has multiple puppies available, all from different breeds.
The seller seems too eager to get rid of their pet quickly without asking many questions about you and your home environment

The Animal Legal Defense Fund also provides additional advice on avoiding puppy mill scams on Craigslist. Be sure to check out their website before committing to any purchase from Craigslist.

Consider instead adopting your pet from a reputable shelters or rescue. They often have many beautiful dogs waiting for their forever home! Adopting from an ethical source will also help reduce animal homelessness while ensuring each dog gets a loving home with responsible owners – something we can all feel good about!

How to Report a Craigslist Pet Scam

Have you been the victim of a Craigslist pet scam? It’s essential to take action and report it right away.

Craigslist is one of the most popular online platforms for buying, selling, and trading items and services; unfortunately, many exploit unsuspecting buyers by disguising pet sales as rehoming or adoption opportunities.

If you have been the victim of a Craigslist pet scam, please don’t hesitate to report it. When writing a Craigslist pet scam, provide as much information as possible such as screenshots of conversations with the seller, copies of emails exchanged, photos or videos related to the transaction, and details about where the animal may have come from. This will help law enforcement authorities investigate more quickly and effectively.

Additionally, if you know anyone else scammed through Craigslist pets ads or websites offering animals for sale or adoption requests, encourage them to file their reports too.

It’s also important to remember that most states have laws in place against breeding and selling animals without proper licensing or vaccinations – so even if an individual claiming they are rehoming an animal isn’t trying to steal money from potential buyers/adopters – they may be breaking other state laws which need to be reported.

Taking action against these unethical practices can help reduce fraud on Craigslist while helping ensure responsible pet ownership throughout your community.

You should consider filing a police report if necessary and seek legal advice if needed or if large amounts of money were exchanged during the Craigslist pet scam transaction attempt.

Also, contact the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The IC3 is responsible for investigating and prosecuting internet crimes, including pet scams. You can file your complaint online and provide as much information as possible about the scammer and their activity. They won’t prosecute the case, but it will be useful for statiscal analysis.

You will have to submit the following information to the IC3:

Personal information of the victim, including their name, address, phone number, and email address
Financial transaction details related to the scam
Identifying information about the subject involved, such as their name, address, phone number, email address, website, and IP address
Comprehensive description of the scam, including specific details
Inclusion of email headers found in email responses
Additional pertinent information or details that you consider significant

You must also remain vigilant and proactive when filing a report with local law enforcement agencies. Keep records of all communication between yourself and the Craigslist pet scammer for evidence.

Don’t hesitate to report any suspicious activity related to pet scams. This could help protect future victims from falling prey to similar schemes.

Craiglist Pet Adoption Alternatives

Dallas craigslist pets – craigslist Fort Worth pets

Instead of adopting a pet from Craigslist, adopt from one of these Dallas / Fort Worth shelters / rescues:

Sacramento craigslist pets

craigslist pets San Diego

Instead of adopting a pet from Craigslist, adopt from one of these Sacramento shelters / rescues:

https://www.awayhomefordogs.com/
https://craftyscrew.com/
https://www.grandmabettysanimalrescue.com/
https://www.heartsforpawsrescue.com/
https://www.hope2k9.com/dogs-for-adoption-san-diego/
https://www.kanesanimalrescue.com/
http://www.luckypupdogrescue.com/
https://www.passionforpitties.com/
http://www.pugsandiego.com/
https://rescueachi.com/
https://www.rescuingcujo.com/
https://roadtofreedomrescue.com/
https://www.sandiegoanimalsanctuary.com/
https://www.sddac.com/
http://sdshelters.com/shelters.html
https://www.soulshinedogrescue.com/
https://www.sunriserescue.com/
https://www.thriveanimalrescue.com/
https://www.chulavistaca.gov/departments/animal-care/adoptions/adopt-a-dog
https://thebarkinglot.net/
https://www.amazingstraysrescue.org/
https://animalcenter.org/
https://anlcf.org/
https://arrfsandiego.org/
https://www.arwob.org/
https://aussierescuesandiego.org/
https://www.bajaanimalsanctuary.org/
https://bajadogrescue.org/
https://www.bdrr.org/
https://www.coastalk9gsr.org/
https://www.dmdr.org/
https://www.dogsquadrescue.org/
http://www.drwb.org/
https://www.eastcountyanimalrescue.org/
https://foxyandthehounds.org/
https://friendsofhstj.org/
https://www.fuzzyfeetdogrescue.org/
https://www.k9connectionpetadoption.org/
https://www.karmicrescue.org/
https://www.labradorsandfriends.org/
https://labsandmore.org/
https://lastchanceatlife.org/
https://lionelslegacy.org/
https://missionbaypuppyrescue.org/
https://www.muttscouts.org/
https://www.openarmsrescue.org/
https://peaceofminddogrescue.org/
https://www.pupsnboots.org/
https://rchumanesociety.org/
https://www.redbarnrescue.org/
https://www.rescuefenix.org/
https://itsthepits.rescuegroups.org/
https://woofsandwagsdogrescue.rescuegroups.org/
https://www.roadogs.org/
https://www.rocketdogrescue.org/
http://www.roversretreat.org/
https://sandiegoanimalsanctuaryandfarm.org/
https://www.sdhumane.org/
http://www.secondchancedogrescue.org/
https://www.sheltertosoldier.org/
https://www.smallbreedrescue.org/
https://spotsavespets.org/
https://theanimalpad.org/
https://www.thecantufoundation.org/
https://theheroictail.org/
https://thelittlereddog.org/
https://therescueddog.org/
https://www.tlck9rescue.org/
https://tragictomagic.org/
https://waggingdog.org/
https://www.wagsandwalks.org/

Seattle craigslist pets – craigslist Seattle puppies

Instead of adopting a pet from Craigslist, adopt from one of these Seattle shelters / rescues:

http://6dogrees.com/
https://arfsgc.com/
http://www.ferrydogmothers.com/
https://www.forgottendogsrescue.com/
https://www.mikeyschance.com/
https://www.seattlepup.com/rescue-a-pup
https://www.thehausofdogs.com/
https://kingcounty.gov/en/legacy/depts/regional-animal-services/adopt-a-pet
https://www.seattle.gov/animal-shelter
https://seattledogs.info/rescue-%26-adoptions
https://www.bdrr.org/
https://beaglerescue.org/
https://bmdcgs.org/rescue-rehome
http://www.bullseyerescue.org/
https://casadog.org/dogs
https://doggoneseattle.org/
https://www.emeraldcitypetrescue.org/
https://www.foreverhomedogrescue.org/
https://heartwoodhaven.org/
https://www.homewardpet.org/
https://www.kitsap-humane.org/
https://www.luckypawsrescuewa.org/
https://www.motleyzooanimalrescue.org/
https://www.okandogs.org/
https://olddoghaven.org/
https://pacificrimrescue.org/
https://www.pasadosafehaven.org/
https://www.paws.org/
https://www.pawsitivealliance.org/events.html
https://www.redwagginrescue.org/
https://www.rescueunleashed.org/
https://resilientheartsanimalsanctuary.org/
https://www.save-a-mutt.org/
https://savinggreatanimals.org/
http://www.seattleanimalshelter.org/
https://seattleanimalshelterfoundation.org/
https://www.seattleareafelinerescue.org/
https://www.seattlehumane.org/
https://www.spdrdogs.org/
https://www.sunnyskysshelter.org/
https://www.thedobermanrescuepack.org/
https://www.thehumanesociety.org/
https://www.thenoahcenter.org/
https://tobiessmalldogrescue.org/
https://www.underdogpetswa.org/
https://www.wetnosesfosterpaws.org/

craigslist Portland pets

Instead of adopting a pet from Craigslist, adopt from one of these Seattle shelters / rescues:

https://www.barkk9rescue.com/
http://displacedpetsrescue.com/
http://www.fuzzballrescue.com/
https://goldenbondrescue.com/
https://loveapitrescue.com/
https://www.mostlymuttsrescue.com/
https://sccpets.com/
https://www.sdroregon.com/
https://tfspets.com/pet-adoptions/
https://www.theasherhouse.com/
https://www.washingtoncountyor.gov/animal-services/animal-shelter-overview
https://www.agavedogs.org/
http://www.animalaidpdx.org/
https://www.animalaidpdx.org/
https://arlgp.org/
https://www.bapbr.org/
http://www.dandgrescue.org/
http://www.familydogsnewlife.org/
https://indigorescue.org/
https://l4dr.org/
https://www.luckydoganimalrescue.org/home
https://msrnorthwest.org/
https://www.multcopets.org/
https://northwestdogproject.org/
https://www.nwac-oregon.org/
https://www.odr-inc.org/
https://ofosa.org/
https://oregoncoasthumanesociety.org/
https://www.oregondogrescue.org/
https://www.oregonhumane.org/
https://otatpdx.org/
https://www.pacificnwbulldogrescue.org/
https://pawsanimalshelter.org/
https://pawsitivelysaved.org/
https://www.pawteam.org/
http://www.pixieproject.org/
https://www.portlanddachshundrescue.org/
https://www.puplandiadogrescue.org/
https://safehavenhumane.org/
https://www.startrescue.org/our-partners
https://www.streetdoghero.org/
https://www.stumptownstrays.org/
https://www.theheartofrescue.org/
https://therescuefaerie.org/
https://www.threelittlepittiesrescue.org/
https://underdogsrock.org/
https://www.wigglytails.org/
https://www.clackamas.us/dogs

atlanta craigslist pets

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craigslist miami pets

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I look out for when buying a pet?

You shouldn’t buy a pet, you should adopt. There are some money abandoned dogs in shelter, to whom which you can change their entire life by giving them a loving home. When adopting a pet, it’s essential to research and looks for any red flags that may indicate potential Craigslist pet scams or irresponsible practices.

Make sure to meet the dog in person before completing the transaction, ask questions about their medical history and vaccinations, and visit the place where the dog was born if possible.

How can I make sure my pet is healthy before purchasing?

When searching for a new pet, ensuring you’re getting a healthy one is essential. To ensure your pet is in the best condition possible before purchasing, it’s necessary to ask the seller questions about their health and background. Request to meet the dog to evaluate its overall health before completing the transaction. If possible, visit where the Craigslist dog was born and meet their parents to get an idea of what kind of environment they were raised in.

How Can I Identify a Pet Scam on Craigslist?

Pet scams often involve ads for puppies or kittens that seem too good to be true. Scammers may post pictures of purebred dogs or cats, claiming they are giving them away or rehoming them for a low price. Be cautious of ads that lack detail or have stock or generic photos.

What Should Pet Buyers Beware of When Looking at a Puppy on Craigslist?

Pet buyers should look out for red flags like sellers asking for payment via gift cards or Venmo, vague or inconsistent information, and reluctance to meet in person or show the pet at their home. A legitimate seller should be transparent and open to questions.

Are There Common Tactics Used in Craigslist Pet Scams?

Yes, scammers often create a sense of urgency, claiming there are many interested buyers. They may request a deposit to “hold” the pet and then disappear after receiving the money. Always verify the seller’s credibility and meet the pet in person before paying.

How Can I Verify a Craigslist Puppy or Dog’s Health?

Ask the seller for recent vet records and possibly contact the vet for confirmation. If possible, arrange a visit to a veterinarian before finalizing the adoption. Avoid sellers who refuse or are unable to provide verifiable health information.

What Steps Should I Take Before Picking Up a New Kitten or Puppy from a Craigslist Ad?

Research the breed, inquire about the pet’s health and history, and ask for a meet-up at the seller’s home to see the pet’s living conditions. If the seller insists on meeting elsewhere, it might be a scam.

What Are the Risks of Falling Victim to a Craigslist Pet Scam?

Victims of pet scams can lose money, receive sick dogs or cats, or end up with a different pet than what was advertised. These scams can also support unethical breeding practices or animal traffickers.

How Can I Safely Welcome a New Companion Animal into My Home?

Consider adopting from local animal shelters or reputable breeders. Check references and reviews, and always meet the pet and the seller in person. Be cautious of any loophole or ban that a Craigslist seller may claim to avoid showing the pet in person.

What Should I Do If I Suspect a Craigslist Pet Ad Is a Scam?

Report the ad to Craigslist and consider warning others in your community. If you’ve already become involved, you might also report it to the police, especially if you’ve lost money or suspect illegal activities like animal trafficking.

How Can I Ensure I’m Not About to Be Scammed When Trying to Pick Up a New Kitten or Puppy?

Be vigilant about red flags, such as a seller who seems eager to steal your money without providing adequate information about the pet. Don’t be trusting when adopting a pet on Craigslist or a scammer will steal your money!

What Precautions Should a Homeowner Take When Looking for a Dog Online?

As a homeowner, ensure that the pet you’re bringing into your home is healthy and legitimately offered for adoption or sale. If you saw an ad for a purebred or pure breed dog online, request detailed information and proof of the pet’s health and vaccination records.

What Are Signs of a Craigslist Seller Being a Potential Pet Scammer?

A Craigslist seller might be a scammer if they rush you, avoid meeting at their home thinking they’re avoiding scrutiny, or ask for money upfront, especially through untraceable methods like gift cards. Scammers often create a sense of urgency and may falsely claim they are giving away the pet due to an emergency.

How Do I Avoid Falling Victim to Pet Scams Involving Sales of Animals?

Research thoroughly before responding to any ad on Craigslist, especially those involving the sales of animals. Be skeptical of deals that seem too good to be true and always meet the seller and animal in person before making any transactions.

What Should I Do If I Suspect an Ad Is Part of a Trafficker’s Scheme?

If you suspect that an ad is part of a trafficker’s scheme, especially in cases where multiple animals are being sold or the conditions seem inhumane, report it to the authorities immediately. Traffickers may use online platforms to conduct illegal activities.

Can Craigslist Pet Ads Be Linked to Sick Dogs or Cats?

Yes, some Craigslist pet ads can be linked to sick dogs or cats. Scammers may sell animals that are unwell or have not been seen by a vet. Always verify the pet’s health with a veterinarian or emergency vet before committing to the adoption.

How Can I Safely Navigate Craigslist Pet Ads?

To navigate Craigslist pet ads safely, always inquire about the pet’s history, ask for recent photos, and arrange a meet-up at the seller’s residence. Be cautious of sellers who seem overly eager to finalize the transaction or who provide vague or inconsistent information.

Conclusion

We’ve all heard the horror stories of pet scams on Craigslist. It’s a situation that no one should ever face, yet it happens all too often.

At Bone Voyage Dog Rescue, we understand the importance of safeguarding your heart and wallet when searching for a furry companion. Our mission is to rescue and find loving homes for dogs in need, ensuring that each adoption is a joyful and safe experience.

If you’re ready to open your heart and home to a deserving canine companion, we invite you to consider adopting from Bone Voyage Dog Rescue. Our dedicated team of professionals works tirelessly to match you with the perfect four-legged friend, and every adoption helps us save more lives. Remember, adopting a rescue dog fills your life with unconditional love and gives a deserving dog a second chance at happiness.

Take the first step towards a lifetime of companionship, and visit our website today. Together, we can make a difference one wagging tail at a time.

Help them have their forever home

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