Cases of Fraudulent 'Pet Flipping' Increasing
- 11 years ago
A new type of fraud that seems to be on the rise involves domestic animals. Called ‘pet flipping’, scammers obtain animals by either responding to lost pet advertisements on craigslist or flat out stealing.
Scam artists usually target helpless, naïve and unsuspecting victims. A new type of fraud that seems to be on the rise involves domestic animals.
Called ‘pet flipping’, scammers obtain animals by either responding to lost pet advertisements on craigslist or flat out stealing. They will then sell the animals, most frequently dogs for fast cash.
Purebred canines seem to be the target of the new trend. A volunteer in Kansas City stated “They’ll see a purebred Boxer at a certain location, then they’ll call and say, Oh, my God! You’ve found my dog. Thank you so much. They pick it up and flip it under the pets ad. Sell it for a profit.”
The crime not only negatively affects the original pet owner, but also the purchasers who are initially unaware they have taken in someone else's pet. The animal in question is also left confused and traumatized.
The scam is occurring all over the United States, however there are increased reports of it happening in Kansas City, Indianapolis and St. Louis. Pets owners are urged to get a computer chip in their dogs so it can be identified and traced back to the original family.
Scam artists usually target helpless, naïve and unsuspecting victims. A new type of fraud that seems to be on the rise involves domestic animals.
Called ‘pet flipping’, scammers obtain animals by either responding to lost pet advertisements on craigslist or flat out stealing. They will then sell the animals, most frequently dogs for fast cash.
Purebred canines seem to be the target of the new trend. A volunteer in Kansas City stated “They’ll see a purebred Boxer at a certain location, then they’ll call and say, Oh, my God! You’ve found my dog. Thank you so much. They pick it up and flip it under the pets ad. Sell it for a profit.”
The crime not only negatively affects the original pet owner, but also the purchasers who are initially unaware they have taken in someone else's pet. The animal in question is also left confused and traumatized.
The scam is occurring all over the United States, however there are increased reports of it happening in Kansas City, Indianapolis and St. Louis. Pets owners are urged to get a computer chip in their dogs so it can be identified and traced back to the original family.