A fake pet listing is a simple product. There is a cute photo, a fair-sounding story and a seller who is always a little too busy to talk. What is missing is the animal. The Better Business Bureau has tracked these scams since 2017, and the pitch has kept up with whatever platform buyers use next.

How the scam works

It starts with a listing that looks fine. Scammers post a litter on a classified site or social media page. Some go further and borrow a real breeder's name, photos and personal details, so a quick search seems to confirm the seller is legitimate.

Then comes the deposit. After that come the extras: shipping, insurance, a special crate, vet fees. Many online shopping scams take one payment. Pet scams often take several, which is how losses climb into the hundreds or thousands of dollars. In BBB data on businesses selling puppies and dogs, 60% of reports said the buyer never received the animal. Others got a pet with health or genetic problems and no paperwork.

Red flags to check before paying

Run the listing through this scorecard before any money moves. Each item is a warning on its own. Two or three together should end the conversation.

  1. Email only. The seller avoids phone calls, video chats and in-person meetings. Reputable breeders usually talk to buyers live. Scammers are often outside the U.S. and may hide a phone number.
  2. Odd payment methods. Wire transfers and gift cards are common requests. Peer-to-peer payment apps also make it harder to recover money if no puppy arrives.
  3. A price that is too good. Purebred dogs at deep discounts are typically frauds. Look up what a breed usually costs before you shop, so a bargain stands out.
A laptop showing a puppy listing beside a handwritten checklist of warning signs on a sunlit café table outside a busy city street
A buyer comparing a puppy listing on a laptop with a short handwritten checklist of warning signs beside it
  1. Copied content. Paste a line of the ad text into a search engine. The same words or photos on several sites suggest the listing was lifted.
  2. Fake credentials. The AKC does not hand out breeder badges. If the ad shows one, that is a problem.
  3. Holiday pressure. Urgency to buy a pet as a gift is exactly what scammers count on. BBB reports are highest in December and January.

The breeds most often used in these scams, per BBB, are French bulldogs, dachshunds and German shepherds. A popular breed at a bargain price deserves extra suspicion.

Questions to ask and checks to run

Questions are cheap. Ask what experience the seller has with the breed and its genetic diseases. Ask whether the parents were health tested, and for which breed-specific tests. Ask how the puppies are socialized, whether they have seen a vet, and what the health guarantee and contract say. Ask whether the seller will take the dog back if you can no longer keep it. A real breeder usually has answers ready. A scammer tends to get vague or change the subject.

Verify the seller's identity, not just the story. Ask for a live video call and have them show the puppies and the parents in the same frame while you watch. Ask them to hold up something you name on the spot, such as a sheet of paper with today's date. Search the breeder's name on your own and call the number you find, not the one in the ad. Since scammers may impersonate a real breeder, that call can reveal that the real person never heard of your listing.

Verify claims yourself too. If the seller says a dog is registered with an organization, contact that organization directly instead of trusting papers the seller sends. For health testing, groups such as the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals keep databases of tests run on dogs, which can help you check the parents.

Track record helps. Experienced breeders often have repeat customers and past buyers who will vouch for them. A newer breeder is not automatically a scam, but a careful one usually has a mentor or co-breeder you can ask about and research. Asking whether the breeder takes part in breed clubs or dog sports can also turn up people who know them.

Timing, underreporting and what is not covered

BBB Scam Tracker received 680 online pet scam reports in 2022, 2,899 in 2023 and 2,278 in 2024. Through September 2025 there were 1,632. Median losses ran from $600 to $750 per year. Those numbers are almost certainly low. The FTC estimates, as cited by the AKC, that only about 10 percent of pet scam victims report. One study using FTC data found just 4.8% of mass-market fraud victims report to BBB or a government entity.

The sources behind this article have gaps. They do not explain how to report a suspected pet scam to BBB, the FTC or a state attorney general. They do not describe chargebacks or other ways to try to recover money after paying. They also do not cover shelter or rescue adoption listings, adoption fees, how to verify a rescue group, typical prices by breed, or state laws on pet sales and breeder licensing. For those, go to the relevant agencies and organizations directly. The BBB's 2025 puppy scam update and the AKC guide to spotting puppy scams are good places to check the details yourself.