# Free Puppy! Red Flags!



## blehmannwa (Jan 11, 2011)

A family member has announced that she is getting a free puppy from Texas. She lives about 1000 miles from Texas. The story is that a woman had a purebred import from Germany who was bred to a another purebred from Belgium. The owner got cancer and couldn't care for the parents and gave them to a friend who is giving away these purebred, papered pups. 

Maybe I'm a cynical, bitter old woman but this doesn't make any sense to me. Why give them away? Plus a pretty short span between breeding dogs and being incapacitated...Another red flag is the plan to fly the puppy at the age of six weeks--I don't think that you can do that.

This is all friend of a friend stuff. I think that it sounds fishy, like a scam. Does any one have any insight as to what is going on.


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## Rerun (Feb 27, 2006)

She's being scammed. Let me guess, she has to wire money to pay for the health certificate and flight, etc?


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## mssandslinger (Sep 21, 2010)

uh oh... this is not gonna end good


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## RogueRed26 (Jul 15, 2010)

Yup, its a scam. Things in life aren't always free. If it sound too good to be true, then it is. I would report this individual's name and number to the authorities; hopefully, to bring down one less leech in this world.


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## BlackPuppy (Mar 29, 2007)

The airline will not take a 6 week old puppy, unless the paperwork is falsified.


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## blehmannwa (Jan 11, 2011)

Sooo, no one is aware of any tragic illness in a Texas breeder who imports dog from Germany?
It's going to be hard to convince my family that this is a scam. They're very trusting and a friend from church is involved.


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## blehmannwa (Jan 11, 2011)

Yeah, I just flew my boy last month and was sure that eight weeks is standard. I just come off as being mean when I say these things.


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## Konotashi (Jan 11, 2010)

Definitely a scam.

One of my mom's friends is a 'breeder' and she was scammed, but from someone who got a puppy. She's in AZ, the person who got the pup was in NY (supposedly). Sent someone out to pick up the pup, sent a money order for more than the asking price, yadda yadda, the money order was fake, she lost the pup, etc. Mom kept telling her it was a scam, but she wouldn't believe her.


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## carmspack (Feb 2, 2011)

don't do it -- this is scam a rama . 
Carmen


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## brondevenish (Jan 25, 2011)

Just be careful, we have had lots of puppy scams here in the UK lately. One lady was even duped into parting with money as the owner of the pups said his wife and child had been killed in a car crash! Finally they discovered the the pup did not exist and the man with the pup was actually phoning her from Nigeria. Poor woman had parted with a lot of £'s!


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

Its a scam no doubt. hope you can get the message across before its too late but then if not, i hope they learn from mistakes. good luck!


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## Lucy Dog (Aug 10, 2008)

Ever heard the saying... if it's too good to be true, it usually is...


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

If you're family member is interested I have some oceanfront property in Indiana to sell..


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## MaggieRoseLee (Aug 17, 2001)

I'm more worried about the 6 weeks old puppy getting flown than the scam....

Cause if you really aren't paying anything, how is free a scam?

There ARE wonderful puppies and dogs that do end up in situations that people just need to get good homes for them and that's their main consideration. 

If they want a specific type dog for a specific reason and it has to be a GSD, then they may be disappointed. Because the 'scam' may be about the pedigree.... But if it's free? Then can't really complain. If it REALLY matters then you'd do thru a good breeder.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

MaggieRoseLee said:


> Cause if you really aren't paying anything, how is free a scam?


You are, the free part just gets you on the hook. Then they ask you to pay for shipping or cash a money order that's larger than the shipping cost and send them money back etc (and the money order ends up being counterfeit)


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## blehmannwa (Jan 11, 2011)

Update on this. I kind of withdrew from the convo because the family members involved are kind, trusting people and don't share my scepticism. I did send my SIL a travel kennel for the cabin and asked my MIL, "So they're falsifying the vet record?" Which was answered affirmatively.

Yesterday a family friend on a business trip was supposed to pick up puppy in TX and fly with it as carry on. Guess What?

Terrible car accident which prevented them from getting the pup from the airport--broken bones and concussion but pup is o.K.

I wonder what's next. Adding to the confusion is that I don't think that my family members are the targets of the scam. This free pup is being arranged for them by a friend and I think that she is the one paying for the fictional vet check and travel papers. Or my family doesn't want to admit that "free" is coming out expensive.


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## blehmannwa (Jan 11, 2011)

I mean that the people with the puppy got into an accident on their way to the airport where they were to meet the family firend.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

blehmannwa said:


> Update on this. I kind of withdrew from the convo because the family members involved are kind, trusting people and don't share my scepticism. I did send my SIL a travel kennel for the cabin and asked my MIL, "So they're falsifying the vet record?" Which was answered affirmatively.
> 
> Yesterday a family friend on a business trip was supposed to pick up puppy in TX and fly with it as carry on. Guess What?
> 
> ...


 
oh ick. thats all i have to say.


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## Samba (Apr 23, 2001)

Sooo, they could not get the pup to the airport for the friend to take??


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## Sigurd's Mom (May 12, 2009)

Lin said:


> You are, the free part just gets you on the hook. Then they ask you to pay for shipping or cash a money order that's larger than the shipping cost and send them money back etc (and the money order ends up being counterfeit)


Exactly.

My mom was selling some pups on Kijiji last week for $350 (for a rescue). A man by the name of William Wright wrote her, calling the dog an "item", saying he was in Denmark, but will be in Canada to pick up the "package". Well, my mom thought it was a bit strange, but figured maybe if he was European, he had bad English... benefit of the doubt. She asks him a lot of questions about the pup, where it will live, what time do they want to come see the pup, etc. He gave vague answers, asked for her address. She gives it back. A couple days go by and she doesn't hear from him. She figures he didn't want a puppy anymore. An e-mail comes in with a UPS tracking code. The next day, 2 cheques, real as can be, for $3,000 each arrives at their door. They call the bank that is listed on them, the bank says if they are from their bank, they are real. Mom didn't know what to do -- she called the police. Yes, it was a scam. If you cash them, you are to send $$ back, later on your bank realises those cheques were fake - you are stuck with a large $$$ bill, and the scammers are off. :crazy::crazy: THANK goodness she smelled something fishy!!!!


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## GSDGunner (Feb 22, 2011)

Sigurd's Mom said:


> Exactly.
> 
> My mom was selling some pups on Kijiji last week for $350 (for a rescue). A man by the name of William Wright wrote her, calling the dog an "item", saying he was in Denmark, but will be in Canada to pick up the "package". Well, my mom thought it was a bit strange, but figured maybe if he was European, he had bad English... benefit of the doubt. She asks him a lot of questions about the pup, where it will live, what time do they want to come see the pup, etc. He gave vague answers, asked for her address. She gives it back. A couple days go by and she doesn't hear from him. She figures he didn't want a puppy anymore. An e-mail comes in with a UPS tracking code. The next day, 2 cheques, real as can be, for $3,000 each arrives at their door. They call the bank that is listed on them, the bank says if they are from their bank, they are real. Mom didn't know what to do -- she called the police. Yes, it was a scam. If you cash them, you are to send $$ back, later on your bank realises those cheques were fake - you are stuck with a large $$$ bill, and the scammers are off. :crazy::crazy: THANK goodness she smelled something fishy!!!!


That's how Craigslist scammers work.
I listed two expensive pieces of furniture. Got a reply from a guy who said he would send a cashiers check with additional money that would cover the movers he was sending.
Plus a "little extra" for my troubles.  I would then cash the check and pay the movers in cash. Yeah, not happening!
Told him to take a hike!


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## blehmannwa (Jan 11, 2011)

When I discussed my suspicions about this "Free" puppy with my MIL, she told me that there was a listing on Craigslist so it had to be legit. How can I even begin to explain what is wrong with that statement? I know that she hasn't invested any money into this scheme but she is concerned for the people and the puppy who were involved in the "car accident". It's just cruel to do this. 

My MIL is from a different time and place where the idea of a free puppy is not unheard of nor cause for concern so she feels badly for the characters in this story--the original breeder with terminal cancer, the overwhelmed friend who is placing these puppies who has now been involved in a terrible car accident while transporting a six week- old pup to the airport. Not to mention the poor little (fictional) puppy. And of course my SIL who is waiting for her puppy to arrive...

I hope that all the lies come true for the scammers.


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## GSDGunner (Feb 22, 2011)

Sometimes people just have to learn for themselves. 
You've made your feeling known and that's all you can do.


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## Jax's Mom (Apr 2, 2010)

It never made sense to me how people can be tricked into receiving a huge check worth 10x the amount of the product being sold and the seller is supposed to send "change"? 
Is writing a bad check just not good enough anymore?

We sell stuff on craigslist and Kijiji all the time and always post "cash and pickup only" because for every legitimate offer, there are 10 Nigerian scammers out there offering $2,000 checks for one used video game. 

I'd tell your family to only get the puppy if ni cash were to ever leave their pockets... No "reimbusing" for anything.


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## DharmasMom (Jul 4, 2010)

Jax's Mom said:


> It never made sense to me how people can be tricked into receiving a huge check worth 10x the amount of the product being sold and the seller is supposed to send "change"?
> Is writing a bad check just not good enough anymore?
> 
> We sell stuff on craigslist and Kijiji all the time and always post "cash and pickup only" because for every legitimate offer, there are 10 Nigerian scammers out there offering $2,000 checks for one used video game.
> ...



I agree. I can't for the life of me see how people fall for this. If I am selling something for $200 and someone sends me a check for $2000, no way am I going to think they are legit. I mean WTH am I, a bank?? I am supposed to make change for you?? And if for some reason they ARE legit and decide to send me 10X what I am asking for- well, thank you very much!! That is a lovely tip, you just gave me! Because no way would I turn around and give it back.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

DharmasMom said:


> And if for some reason they ARE legit and decide to send me 10X what I am asking for- well, thank you very much!! That is a lovely tip, you just gave me! Because no way would I turn around and give it back.


Exactly, thats how you know they're never legit LOL. Because what moron would be willing to risk all that money trusting the person to give back the change.


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