Did you know that the holidays are a time for puppy scams? In fact, according to a report from Veterinarians.org, California is the state with the most reported puppy scams, and cons across the country are on the rise.
According to the report, California is the state with the most reported puppy scams, with 345 scams reported to the Better Business Bureau from January 1, 2021 to October 31, 2021. As a result, scam victims in California lost over a quarter of a million dollars, with the average amount of money lost per victim totaling $733.69.
Texas, Florida, and New York followed closely behind, with scam victims in these states on average losing more than $700. Texas scam victims had the highest average loss, with $913.20 total. That’s a collective $220,000 lost to puppy scams.
Michigan, however, stands out with the highest amount of money lost on average to puppy-related scams. In this state, scam victims lost on average $1,097.
Puppy fraud is on the rise, as many consider puppies as Christmas gifts. Together with the Better Business Bureau, the report found:
When looking for tips on how to avoid puppy fraud and scams, a number one option could be to adopt. In fact, puppies for Christmas are usually not a super great idea in general. Still, if you’re looking for specific breed and want to go through a breeder, pay attention to the following red flag:
For more information on the states that have the highest fraud, as well as tips on how to avoid puppy scams, you can find the report here.
