Puppy scams: how to tell if an online pet seller is fake

How puppy scams work

You find a listing for a popular breed at a low price, often on a website or social media page. The BBB says over half of the pet scams reported to its Scam Tracker began on a website found through a search engine or social media.

The seller sends lots of photos but has a reason you cannot visit. You pay a deposit, usually by Zelle or Venmo, and then the fees begin. The BBB found that in virtually all cases the scammers never owned the animals in the listing.

BBB Scam Tracker received 2,278 pet scam reports in 2024 and 1,632 in the first nine months of 2025, with a median loss of $600 in 2025. Most victims never report, so the real numbers are higher.

The shipping, crate and insurance fees

Once you have paid, the scammer almost always says the puppy must fly to you. Then come the extra charges: shipping, a special crate, vaccinations, pet insurance, even a fan for hot weather. The BBB found some fake sellers build websites that look like real pet transport companies to collect these fees.

Pressure that the animal will suffer if you do not pay is a tactic the BBB lists by name. Each fee is followed by another, and refundable fees never come back.

Puppy scam red flags and signs of a real breeder

How to check a puppy seller before you pay

1. Reverse image search the photos in the ad. If they are stock photos or copied from elsewhere, the FTC says to move on.
2. Search the seller's name with words like review, scam or complaint.
3. Set up a live video call to see the puppy, as the BBB advises. Photos and recorded videos can be copied from anywhere.
4. Visit and pick the puppy up yourself, or adopt from a local shelter or rescue you can walk into.
5. Pay by credit card, which the FTC says gives you the most protection if something goes wrong.

The FTC is clear: if a seller does not want you to visit, video chat or even talk by phone, move on to someone else.

If it already happened

1. Stop paying. New fees for shipping, crates or insurance will keep coming, and none of them will be refunded.
2. Contact whoever you paid through right away, whether your card issuer, bank, payment app or wire service, and ask to reverse the payment.
3. Report the listing to the website or social media platform, and report it to BBB Scam Tracker and the FTC.
4. Keep the ad, photos, messages, the seller's phone numbers and your payment receipts.
5. If a pet transport company contacted you, look up its real phone number yourself before you believe anything it says.

• ReportFraud.ftc.govReport the scam to the Federal Trade Commission.
• IC3.govThe FBI’s internet crime complaint center, for losses online.
• IdentityTheft.govIf they got your ID, Social Security number or account details.

Questions