BBB on homes: When purchasing puppies, don't fall for scams

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In the last year, Better Business Bureau offices around the country have received many reports of "puppy" scams. Some of the reports reference pet-transport scams and others allege scam artists posing as "breeders."

The type of scam typically follows the same pattern. You or your family want to buy a puppy, so you look online for breeders.

You come across a website that appears to be run by dog breeder who offers puppies for sale. There are photos of the puppies and guarantees of their health and vaccinations. There may be a section about the breeders with glowing testimonials. The prices of these puppies are lower than those of other breeders (or perhaps even free).

You email the breeder. The puppy is still available, and the breeder is happy to ship him or her to you.

All you need to do is use a wire transfer (or other untraceable method) to send money to the "breeder." Then, he or she will ship you your new dog.

Don't do it. The scammer won't send the puppy because the dog doesn't exist. Sadly, scammers can be working from anywhere in the world, using the Internet and a bogus address to conceal their true identity and origin. Stolen images of fuzzy puppies are often pirated from other sites or simply "stock" images.

The Better Business Bureau of Houston and South Texas offers these tips to avoid purchasing from a scammer:

Check with the Better Business Bureau. Research the site by checking with BBBHouston.org to determine its past history of complaints.

Verify licensing. Breeders in Texas are required to be licensed with Texas Department of Licensing Regulation. You may check with this agency to confirm the breeder is legitimate.

Always visit the breeder. Responsible breeders and rescue groups will be more than happy to offer you a tour. Although it may seem more convenient to conduct business entirely online, you do not want to take your chances and fall victim to scam.

Pick your puppy up at the kennel. Don't rely on the breeder to ship the puppy, so you can ensure you get the pet you selected.

Check references. Talk to others who have purchased pets from this breeder and also speak with the veterinarian the breeder works with.

Ask for medical records and pedigree. Get a written account of all medical care your puppy has received, including vaccinations and antibiotics. Take the records to your vet during the first examination, which should be within a few days of bringing your puppy home.

Search for website warning signs. The reason fake breeder websites look real is because the content is typically stolen from another site. Look for duplicate sites by copying a line from the website into a search engine and looking for identical wording elsewhere on the internet. Also, search for the domain name on "WHOIS Lookup." Make sure the site is hosted in the country where the breeders claim to be located. You may also use search engines such as Google Reverse Image Search to check if the puppy's photo is in use on another website.

Pay with check or credit card. If a breeder pressures you to pay by wire transfer or prepaid debit card, it is probably a scam.

The Better Business Bureau is an unbiased nonprofit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Every year, more than 87 million consumers rely on BBB Business Reviews and BBB Wise Giving Reports to help them find trustworthy businesses and charities across North America. For information or to check the reliability of a company and find trustworthy businesses, visit www.bbbhouston.org, which includes our BBB Accredited Business Directory, or call 713-868-9500. Leah Napoliello is senior director of Investigative Services with the Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and South Texas. Send questions regarding homeowner issues to Leah Napoliello, Better Business Bureau, 1333 West Loop South, Suite 1200, Houston, TX 77027, or e-mail her at lnapoliello@bbbhou.org. Include mailing address and phone number on letters and emails.