Article Surfing Archive

International pet adoption of rare and/or expensive breeds is a common choice for people seeking those animals at a reasonable price. Unfortunately, international pet adoption scams are also more commonplace, as reported on various news stories. ABC News is just one network reporting on pet shipping fraud.

All typical pet shipping and international pet adoption scams have a basic premise. Fraudulent con artists, most frequently claiming to be from Africa, Cameroon, or Nigeria, reach out to people searching for a specific exotic cat, dog, or bird. Oftentimes, the sale price is less than the cost of international pet shipping, but the con artist insists that it is all about making sure the animal is in caring hands rather than dollars and cents. If you fail to do even some basic research, you may hand over a few hundred dollars and a few weeks later find yourself with no pet, no money, and no way to trace the perpetrator.

Avoiding Scams

You can easily avoid international pet shipping and international adoption stings. More than ever, the swindlers tend to advertise on large, legitimate websites like Yahoo! Pets and major and local newspapers. You can protect yourself with some simple personal security tips, such as:

' Never buy from individuals. Individuals that advertise puppies, kittens, or birds for sale, especially internationally, do not have the credentials that legitimate businesses have.

' Check the company website. If the seller does not have a website, but claims to be a professional organization, look elsewhere for an animal. Any reputable company making international sales will have a website in this day and age.

' Be leery of the deal too good to be true. It usually is. Research the actual cost of pet shipping and international pet adoption or contact a reputable pet shipping company, such as AnimalsAway.com.

' Never reply to unsolicited e-mails or phone calls from people purporting to have the exact species and breed of animal you are seeking and offers to forego the adoption cost of the pet as long as shipping costs are paid. Once again, if it is too good to be true, it generally is.

Catching the Bad Guys

You might be surprised to learn that the con artist does not live in a foreign country but is actually scamming you from the comfort of home in America. Keep in mind that fraud in the United States is illegal and can carry a prison term. The number of pet shipping and international pet adoption scams is steadily rising. If you want to help catch the crooks and reduce the number of swindles, you can be proactive. Utilize your general resources to track put the bad guys out of business and, hopefully, behind bars. Use your cell phones, landlines, addresses, and web cams to your advantage. Here's how:

' Talk to the con artist and obtain phone numbers, addresses, names, and any other information they give up to you.

' Keep a journal of dates, times, and conversations.

' Retain the caller id records. You may even want to photograph the record.

' Ask your telephone company to trace the number on the caller id on the basis that you have been a victim of fraud and possibly identity theft.

' Let your fingers do the walking. The Internet is a well of information. Do your own tracking. Trace a phone number to obtain an address and name. Then collect as much information as you can find on the Internet about the person.

' Record the phone calls, print online exchanges, burn any virtual conferences onto a disk.

' Insist that you will handle the pet shipping arrangements. That way, they have to give you their information. They also know at that point that they won't be able to cash in on this one.

' Do not try to comprehend this person on your own. Be discreet so as not to endanger yourself. When you have enough information to prove the deal is a scam, notify local law enforcement, and let them take over the investigation.

Pet shipping and international adoption scams are a sad reality of the pet shipping world. Researching international pet adoption, the seller's business, and the cost of pet shipping before entering into transactions is the best way to avoid becoming a target.