Avoiding Scams in Pet Adoption: How Live Video Can Help Verify Buyers and Breeders

Thousands of people lose money – and their hearts – each year to scam artists looking to peddle imaginary pets. This is how it happens: scammers put a cute image of a puppy online and request a deposit. Simple. Effective. Devastating.

Pet adoption scams have skyrocketed, according to the Better Business Bureau. Last year alone, Americans lost more than $4.6 million to pet scammers. Most complaints (73%) involve dogs.

Why Dogs Are the Main Target

Puppies are expensive. The price of a purebred dog from a good breeder ranges from $800 to more than $5,000. And that’s why dogs are a prime target for criminals.

The reality is people are emotional when purchasing dogs. People are often sad, excited and desperate. A good photo, a great story and “limited time only” – it’s a potent mix.

What Fake Breeders Do

They steal real photos. Hundreds of them.

Scammers steal photos from reputable websites, Instagram accounts and dog show databases. They create fake websites that appear legitimate. They even set up realistic websites with plagiarised testimonials and fake kennel names.

In many cases, the scam victims have chatted with scammers for days, even weeks before paying them. The conversations felt warm. Personal. Real. And then the purchase was approved, and it was quiet.

The Responsibility Gap

Responsibility is a term that is often used. But who is responsible?

Sites such as Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist and even some pet-specific sites don’t vet sellers. They rely on user reports. Scammers move on before their accounts are verified.

The burden is heavy on legitimate breeders, shelters and rescue groups, as well. They have to make it easy for potential buyers – not to show that they are doing them a favour, but as a matter of routine. Adoption is a two-way street.

Live Video: An Easy, Effective Tool

Live video transforms the way pets are sold online.

A video is no proof. Photos prove nothing. They can be edited, faked, or stolen. But a live video hookup, where you can ask the breeder to show you around the room, show you the puppy you are interested in, and hold the puppy you are interested in is near impossible to fake.

It takes about ten minutes. It costs nothing. And it eliminates most scams.

Another interesting way to avoid video chat scams is to find real reviews from real people. Don’t know anyone suitable? No problem, try opening CallMeChat and just chatting. It might take you the first time, or maybe even the tenth time, to connect with a stranger who can give you a review, recommend a kennel, share more about their experience, and provide other useful information. The main advantage is that a stranger is unbiased and more likely to tell the truth than any online reviews.

The Right Way to Use Video

Some video chats are better than others. Here is what you should know.

Ask to see the space. Ask to see the entire area where the dogs are kept. Clean, neat, large enough is a good thing. Overcrowded, dirty areas are signs of a puppy mill – another issue, but also serious.

Request real-time interaction. Ask the breeder to pick up the animal you are interested in and show you walking, eating or responding to their name. Scammers don’t have an actual animal.

Red Flags During a Video Call

Some scammers have adapted. They have a video looped in real time, or they say their video is not working but they can “send more pics instead”. These are red flags.

Look for video-audio sync problems. Look for a static background. Notice whether the person on video is actually moving around, or simply sitting in one place.

If the person doesn’t want to do a live call – do not buy. There’s no reason for a breeder with healthy dogs for sale not to show them.

Buyers: Checklist

Before taking the plunge, check this:

• Virtual video tour taken? Yes or no. No exceptions.
• Vet records available? Responsible breeders have records of vaccinations and screenings.
• Contract provided? Legitimate breeders provide purchase contracts. Scammers do not.
• Payment method requested? Gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Credit card, PayPal (with buyer protection) are better.
• References offered? Ask to talk to someone who has adopted them.

One additional step: Google Reverse Image Search their photo. It takes thirty seconds. And it has saved thousands of scams.

For Sellers and Breeders: How to Help with Adoptions

There’s an opportunity for legitimate breeders too.

By offering video chats, you communicate to potential buyers that you are serious and trustworthy, and that’s invaluable. It immediately sets you apart from the scammers. In a distrustful, competitive environment, that’s important.

Ethical breeders should also register with kennel clubs – in the US, in the US the American Kennel Club (AKC); in the UK, The Kennel Club. Such registrations are searchable. They enhance the legitimacy of the website.

What Shelters and Rescue Groups Should Do

Shelter adoptions are different from breeders, but scams still occur. Scam rescue groups request “shipping fees” or “vaccinations” prior to delivery of the animal.

Reputable shelters allow online viewing. Many now routinely offer live video chats, particularly for out-of-town adoptions. If a shelter won’t tour you through the shelter or show you the animal before asking for money – ask a lot of questions.

The Stats Are Shocking

It’s not a minor issue.

According to the FTC, pet scams were one of the top five most reported scams involving online purchases in 2022. Victims lost an average of $750. And some lost thousands. That’s just those that were reported – the vast majority were not.

It’s not just the elderly who are targeted – the most common victims are young adults between 18 and 34. Online shopping skills do not translate to scam-proofing. Sometimes it increases vulnerability.

Building a Culture of Verification

Our aim is not paranoia. It is healthy skepticism.

Live video isn’t perfect. Nothing is. But it makes the cost of defrauding people too high for most criminals to bother. When combined with a little bit of research, payment protection and common sense, it makes scamming much more difficult.

Adoption is supposed to be joyful. It is supposed to add a creature to a family that will love it and nurture it. Keeping that process safe, from both sides of the fence, is part of the responsibility of ownership, before the animal comes home.

Final Thought

Trust is the soil in which scams grow. Live video closes that gap.

Ask for the call. Insist on it. And if the person on the other end is defensive and accusing you of being unreasonable, you should be worried.