Buy This Dog or it Dies

Nigerians are targeting Australian pet lovers this time. Scammers from Nigeria and Cameroon (Cameroon is being mentioned more and more in the realm of internet scams: click) are advertising fake puppies and kittens on the internet.

Swindlers almost always will try to force you into making a haste decision. So this time, they tell the potential victim that the pet will be killed if not sold quickly.

The scammers steal the pets’ names and photos from legitimate Australian businesses to advertise non-existent animals on a fake website.

They even mention the names of transport companies along with tracking numbers and account information of Western Union in Nigeria or Cameroon.

Joanne Sillince, of the Pet Industry Association of Australia, said several scams had been reported to the association in recent weeks. “Unfortunately, prosecution of these cases is very difficult, if not impossible, as the scammers are hard to trace.”

Central Coast resident Jackie Murray placed a wanted ad for a goldendoodle (golden retriever and poodle cross) puppy on a reputable pet website last month and was contacted by someone who sounded like a good breeder.

She found it strange as it was cheaper than other advertised goldendoodles.

“I then got an email with a logo they knocked off from a legitimate pet transport company, along with a shipping tracking number and bank account details of Western Union in Cameroon.”

She didn’t go ahead with the purchase.

As Nigerian (and now Cameroonian) scams are everywhere, be suspicious if the offer sounds too good to be true or very cheap. Also, take a step back if the transaction involves Western Union or Money Gram especially if the money’s going to Nigeria or Cameroon.