http://www.kptv.com/story/32566739/payi ... est-friendPaying for Puppies: a man's cautionary tale for buying man's best friend
Posted: Jul 28, 2016 1:42 PM PDT
Updated: Aug 07, 2016 2:18 PM PDT
By Stephanie Robusto, Reporter
It began as a mission for a former military member to find a companion for his grandmother. He wanted to surprise her with a small dog after she underwent surgery.
"I told him I want a little tiny puppy, without a lot of hair," his grandma said. She added, "I would have been so happy if I got that dog."
But the dog never came.
"You feel victimized or vulnerable, because you told this person so much about you," said Daniel Richardson, as he explained how he felt he fell victim to a cybercrime, after purchasing the puppy online.
He did his due diligence in researching the company he was buying from - SunVille Chihuahuas’ - speaking to the owner multiple times on the phone and exchanging emails. He was told the husband and wife had just started selling the teacup Chihuahuas, so they didn’t have PayPal set up.
"They interviewed me, they got information from me. They send you a questionnaire. This is all after I talked to a person, saying they want to find suitable homes for their babies," shared Richardson.
Against his better judgment, he wired the couple money.
"I used my debit card, hoping that if something did happen, I would be protected by my bank," said Richardson.
However, there was an issue with that original transaction. The money transfer company gave him a refund with a money order and cash.
"I wasn’t thinking clearly at that point. They just put you through a gauntlet," Richardson explained. "All I could picture was the perfect moment of presenting the puppies to the woman who had done so much for me in my life."
After sending more than one grand, Richardson said the couple asked for even more money, claiming it was for insurance and would be refundable.
"I did research on the company they claimed was giving me insurance on sending me the dog and couldn’t find anything on them," said Richardson.
At that point, he refused to give any more money to the couple and wanted proof he wasn’t being scammed.
The website states sending the puppies would be free on certain days of the week. Emails sent between Richardson and the husband claiming to own the puppy stated the dog would be delivered on July 18.
As of July 28, Richardson has not received the puppy or a refund.
More than anything, Richardson wants to prevent anyone else from losing out on money in the future.
NBC12 was unable to find any record on
SunVille Chihuahuas’ in consumer awareness databases. However, a reverse image search through Google does show some of the same images sent to Richardson on other websites.
"They know that puppy will play to a different side of your mind. It will play to your compassion and not your logic," said Richardson.
He’s right. In fact, the Better Business Bureau for the Richmond Metro Area has multiple pending cases in similar situations with other companies posing online. It also relies on image searches during its investigation.
In addition, the American Kennel Club issues warnings for people buying puppies online.
Here are some tips from the AKC:
•Because of the emotional investment in buying a puppy, scam artists can take advantage of unsuspecting consumers. Take the time to educate yourself on the hallmarks of a responsible breeder and on common scams.
•If you must buy a dog from someone who does not live near you, do your due diligence. Request references and speak to other people who have purchased dogs from this breeder. Ask if the breeder is a member of an AKC-affiliated club and contact that club to verify membership.
•Beware of any breeder who seems preoccupied with the financial aspect of the transaction. Any reputable breeder will be far more concerned with the appropriateness of the potential pet home than what and when they are getting paid. Make sure you have clear expectations – ideally in writing – of how and when the pup will be paid for. If the pup is shipped long distance, the best approach would be to pay for half up front and half upon receiving the puppy (and after getting a veterinarian to sign-off on the pup’s health).
•If you located a breeder through a web site, don’t ever send money without speaking to him/her on the phone and checking their references/credentials first. Unscrupulous breeders and even outright scams can be represented by professional-looking web sites that lure you in with beautiful pictures of adorable puppies that don’t actually exist. Be especially wary of any breeder who insists that you wire money and who calls to ask for more money to be wired to cover last minute shipping fees.
•Beware of breeders who claim to have multiple breeds ready to ship immediately. It’s highly unlikely that your perfect puppy would be available for shipping on the very day you call since gestation and socialization of a litter of puppies takes months before individual puppies can be placed with new owners.
