WARNING: Beware of Puppy Scams Across the Internet

1.) FaceTime, FaceTime, FaceTime

We cannot stress this enough… FaceTime is your BEST FRIEND when it comes to avoiding a puppy internet scam. The majority of the puppy scams across the internet involve criminals who steal puppy pictures and videos from websites such as ours and use them as their own in order to advertise “puppies for sale” on a website that they’ve set up (usually hosted outside of the USA). These people don’t actually have puppies. They’ll ask you to send them a deposit, and then once you do, you don’t receive your puppy, and you never hear from them again. Legitimate puppy boutiques such as ours won’t be afraid to FaceTime with you. If anyone refuses to FaceTime (usually it’s because they’re “too busy”), RUN FOR THE HILLS. If you would like to request a FaceTime video chat, give us a call at +1 (954) 985-8848 and request one from one of our associates.

2.) Wire Transfers Are a Huge Red Flag

Money wire transfers are completely untraceable, making them an internet scammer’s DREAM! It also happens to be the only form of payment that a puppy scammer will accept. Whether in the form of a classic Western Union wire transfer, CashApp, or even Zelle, these payment methods offer ZERO protection to senders, so make sure that you at least do your research to make sure that it is a legitimate company or breeder before transferring ANY money this way. And don’t forget… FaceTime first! TeaCups, Puppies & Boutique ® will NEVER ask you for a money wire transfer. We accept payment in the form of cash, credit, or financing ONLY.  

3.) The Tiny Puppy With The Big Round Eyes and Smashed-In Face

Another type of puppy scam is the one where a breeder or company advertises an EXTREMELY tiny puppy with large round eyes, tiny button nose, and smashed in face. Chances are… if the puppy looks fake, it probably is. Companies often advertising these puppies as “Korean teacups” have been known to advertise drastically photoshopped images of puppies for sale. Without a physical location to visit, clients can’t see the puppy for themselves – so when the puppy arrives, it’s much larger than advertised and doesn’t look anything like it did in the picture. Here at TeaCups, Puppies & Boutique ®, we only use color correction tools to edit our photos and never alter the features of our puppies to make them appear to be something that they’re not. We also have a physical location at 5195 S University Drive Davie, FL 33328 ,where clients can come and view our puppies any time during regular business hours. Oh, and again… FaceTime! FaceTime can help you avoid a scam of this nature as well.

To avoid puppy internet scams such as the ones listed above…

1. Do your research. Know who you’re sending your money to. Is the business licensed? Are you absolutely sure that you are on a business’ AUTHENTIC website and not a scammer’s site with stolen logos and images? Did you google map their listed address? A simple google search for public records can confirm all of this, as well as a business’ correct phone number and address.
2. Whenever possible, steer clear of any online puppy stores lacking a physical location. It’s always a good idea to stick with a brick and mortar store so that you can rest assured knowing that what you see is what you get – and also that the puppies are well cared for in a clean and safe environment.
3. When in doubt, request a FaceTime video chat. If you MUST purchase your puppy online, ALWAYS request a FaceTime video chat FIRST. This way, you can make sure that they actually have the puppy and that the puppy looks the same as it did in that adorable photo they showed you. 

What to do if you’ve been scammed…

If you are the victim of an internet puppy scam, you can file a report with the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/ as well as the FBI’S IC3 Internet Crimes Department at https://www.ic3.gov/.