Desperate consumers who want to buy puppies online often contact us.
Regardless of whether it is on Facebook or on classified ad platforms: If money is to be transferred to Ukraine, Cameroon or other distant countries, it is most likely a fraudulent offer! The puppies don't exist and the money is lost. This reported by our cooperation partner Watchlist-Internet. We at mimikama have also seen such cases on Facebook again and again! Usually in Facebook groups you will always find these or similar entries:
The images are stolen photos that have been making the rounds on the internet for years, as this Google image search proves!
Despite strict regulations and bans on selling animals online, you often come across corresponding offers.
Despite strict regulations and bans on selling animals online, you often come across corresponding offers.This is because there are usually fraudulent intentions behind these offers. Criminals try to pique the interest of Internet users through cute photos or heartbreaking stories. It is not possible to view the animals because they are supposedly abroad. In order to be able to deliver the animals, payment requests for various reasons follow, for example for transport, vaccinations or permits. It's a prime example of advance fee fraud because all payments end up in the hands of criminals, while the promised puppies don't exist.
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Invented delivery and shipping companies
In order to create trust, the sellers state that they want to ship the puppies through companies that specialize in this area. The problem is this: The companies and their associated websites are also run by criminals and do not exist. The only purpose behind these is to create trust among interested parties.
Payment via Western Union
Payments should be made via Western Union or other cash transfer services to Cameroon. Anyone who complies with the requests loses money because the direct payments give criminals immediate access to the amounts. It is no longer possible to retrieve these later.
Further payment requests
No matter how many payments have already been made, it is always claimed that the next payment is the last payment required before the puppies are delivered. And yet new justifications for further payments continue to appear. The transport costs have already been paid, but now there are vaccination costs. The vaccination costs have been paid and suddenly import taxes become necessary. The import duties have been paid, but delivery is only possible after insurance has been taken out.
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Further demands for payment follow until the victims realize that the dogs do not exist and will never be delivered.
What can victims do?
Anyone who has fallen victim to such advance payment fraud must immediately break off all contact and may not make any further payments. We also recommend that you report the matter to the police, even if the chances of finding out in such cases are extremely low.
Tips for buying animals online
In order to protect animal welfare and protect consumers from fraud, the animal trade in Austria is strictly regulated. The private trade in animals over the Internet is therefore almost completely banned in this country. If you are looking for animals on the Internet, you should definitely pay attention to breeder certificates and sales authorizations. Importing from abroad must be avoided. If it is not possible to view the dogs or visit the breeding facilities, you must refrain.
Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )