How I was nearly scammed out of $300....

My wife and I have been searching for the perfect puppy for a long time and thought we'd finally found him. We saw the following ads on the pennysaverusa.com website:

ad1 = https://www.dropbox.com/s/aqbj21k66wvncwc/Ad1.jpg
ad2 = https://www.dropbox.com/s/pwmsj9i3mprlv1h/Ad2.jpg

We replied via the "Email this seller" link on the page. A few hours later we receive a text from 575-252-0076.

hello

I Reply:

Hi, is this about the dogs?

i just got your responds on the ad i placed on pennysaverusa.com and i did send you an email with some pics and more info about them so please do check your email and get back to me real fast okay

I verify there's an email in my inbox from a "maria jannette" at [email protected] and I respond to 575-252-0076 via text:

Ok thank you. Replying via email now. Thanks

Below is "her" email:

Hello ,
Thanks for your mail. We have 1 male (Harry) and 1 Female (Rosie) ready for re- homing to new homes . They are 12 weeks and Outstanding AKC registered English Bulldog from mulch-championship bloodlines with an awesome pedigree. Gorgeous wrinkles, nice rope across their nose, massive bones structure, compact and muscular. Home-raised, family socialized puppies with sweet, loving and playful temperament, loves children. Ready to be a family companion or your best friend. Current vaccinations, De-worming, new crate, veterinarian health check and health c certificate. Health guaranteed. Awesome puppy packet, the baby Bulldogs Puppies will come alongside with the following 1 Year health Guarantee, Health Certificate, Shot Records Create . We will need some Information from you people.

Are you a breeder?
Do you have kids?
Do you have a vet around your location?
Which of them will you love to adopt?
What will be your reaction if in case they destroy some thing worth 100$?
Why do you want any of them?
Please we will need you phone number?

Sorry for all the question but we need to know the kind of family that our babies are going to be with and are problem is not money but a caring home for our puppies that is why we are asking just for the cost of transportation and paper works which is going to cost you 250$ and delivery at your home there will be an additional $50. if this is OK with you do let me know. i am located in California Modoc and we would be shipping the puppies from here okay Thanks and waiting

Attached to the email are four images; two of "Rosie" and two of "Harry."
https://www.dropbox.com/s/6hprrag8ivdb7cu/baby%20ROSIE.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ssnx83yu1vw41ys/BABYROSIE%201.jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/q2sizm0d7wol2xj/Harry........jpg
https://www.dropbox.com/s/2o0s68g3rkn32sg/Harry1.jpg

A subsequent Google Image search resulted in one of the images being listed at http://ruthsbullyfarm.yolasite.com/

We eagerly filled out the required information and hit the send button. I close my email with:

Your requests are reasonable and it appears all you're asking for is for us to cover shipping from CA to TX. Please understand our caution as well to give payment information on a word, so what references may we be able to check?

We await further instructions...

Another text from 575-252-0076...

did you reply to my email yet??

I respond:

Yes

By this time, my wife and I were really excited! This was real and it was going to happen! Several minutes pass and I receive another text from 575-252-0076:

i just replied back to your email now okay

So back to my email, and another in my inbox from a "maria jannette" at [email protected]:

Hello X and Y
Thanks for getting back to me and the great interest you have for the puppy I'm also very happy you will be taking one of my puppies because all i want is a good home for them and nothing more so i hope your home will be a perfect home for him, I will tell you a little about him, He is very playful potty and home trained and love the company of kids you need to see how he jumps on me when i get home from work ohh he is such a cute little thing

Actually we are giving the puppies for adoption because they once belonged to my late son who just passed away and every time i see them they keep bringing back memories of my late son that makes me cry so my husband i decided to locate a good home for them. because my son loved them so much and i promised him i will take very good care of them but since im so busy at work and also couple with what the first reason i mentioned above i will really like you to take very good care of him

Also i know we are giving them so cheap but the we will just want to let you know we are not selling them but giving them out for adoption because of the above reasons and that is why we are asking just 300$ for his shipping and we assure you will have him asap. we are very honest people and also a christian family too so we are not out to make profit or fraud people of their hard earned money because we also work so hard to earned a $ so all i will ask of you is for you to give me a little more trust and i assure you have the puppy with no problem..

So if you want this puppy then get back to me with your full shipping info so that we can take him to the airport first thing in the morning and book a flight for him so that you have him tomorrow afternoon at your home and your daughter will be happy i promise. so if you can get back to me with the following

Full Names...........
State/City................
Postal Code..............
Street/House Address..............
Closest Airport to your home....................

As soon as i have all this info and the money i promise you will have him at your home with no problem , as soon as we book a flight for him i will get back to you with the full flight info that is the departure and arrival time of the puppy so that you can know the exact time you will be expecting him home Thanks for your understanding Regards Hawkins

I was born at night, but not last night, so I reply to her email with the following:

I can pick up at the airport, so there'd be no need for further delivery than to the airport.

Full Names........... My Name
State/City................ My City TX
Postal Code.............. My Zip
Street/House Address.............. empty (i'm not that foolish!!)
Closest Airport to your home.................... XYZ

I would still like to speak to you via phone and would also like to find out how old Henry is. How would you accept payment?

...and I follow up the email with a text to 575-252-0076

Replied via email, thanks

Several minutes go by and another text from 575-252-0076:

just replied back too.. thanks

I check my email and find this:

Hello
Thanks again once more for the mail and the info too but as i said my phone has a little problem with the speakers because when im taking you cant hear me but i can hear you clearly okay, but my husband is not in town he is in Texas for work but will be coming today so that he can arrive in the morning, can i have him call you???

I already told him about you and he said i can ship the puppy to you , Also regarding the payment you will be doing the payment via money order okay and also the airport will need your house and street address because i will be needing it to process the paper works okay..

So if you can do the payment today then you will have Harry tomorrow by afternoon because i will take him to the airport first thing in the morning okay Thanks and waiting to hear from you Regards Andera Hawkins

I reply via email to "maria jannette" at [email protected]:

Ok, please do have your husband call me tomorrow. Once I have spoken to you, then I will proceed. Please understand my caution.

You say that you're looking for a money order. How would that work, you would want me to mail it to you?

Thanks,
X

By this time, I'm starting to question things that are being said and chalk it up to either a non-native English speaker or perhaps someone who's dealing with multiple inquiries and is getting confused. Either way, harmless, but cautious...

We kind of go into a waiting mode, to speak to Mr. Hawkins the following day.

A short time later, I receive another email from "maria jannette" at [email protected]:

Hello
Can i have him call you now?? so that you could do the payment via money gram or western union . because i want to take him to the airport first thing in the morning because i will like that he takes the first available flight in the morning,

Also will you be at home tomorrow to welcome him??
Thanks and waiting
Regards

My wife and I look at each other with glee and exclaim "yes!" Please! Let's talk to him now and get this taken care of...

I reply via email:

Yes, please have him call me at xxx-xxx-xxxx.

I receive another email:

Hello X
I hope you spoke with my husband and here is the payment info you will be using okay

Full Names................Andera Hawkins
State............................California
City...............................San Diego
Zip Code...................... 92104
Amount........................300$
Test Question................To whom
Answer...............................A friend
Bank of Transfer..................Western Union

As soon as you are done with the payment please get back to me with the Full Senders names and the MTCN # Okay Thanks and waiting

A few minutes transpire and I receive a phone call from 214-810-8254. On the other end of the line is a man with a heavy foreign accent and a really bad, choppy connection. He repeatedly assures me that we should just trust him that he will follow through with the transaction.

During the call, several alarms were going off in my head and red flags were coming up left and right.

I came up with a viable solution. I proposed to Mr. Hawkins that I will arrange to pay for all shipping and pickup and delivery. There would then be no need for him to file any paperwork or pay for any fees. I would handle all those arrangements. He/She would simply have to provide a physical address where I could pick up the puppy and sign the shipping papers. Done deal.

Mr Hawkins, at that point seemed dejected and informed me that he would speak with "Mrs. Hawkins" and let me know how to proceed.

I hung up after just under five minutes.

Shortly thereafter, I receive the following three texts in quick succession:

did you talk to my husband

how long will it take for you to do the payment??

hello why are you not txt back is anything the problem

During this time, I've decided that this is a done deal. It's a scam. There are too many aggressive requests for payment, when initially it was stated that this was nothing about money, simply finding a good home for these puppies.

Not I had to break the news to my wife. This was horrible. This was just what she wanted and here it was at her fingertips, just to be torn away. Not good.

I send another email to "maria jannette" at [email protected]:

Hello. I don't know if you've talked with your husband, but here's where I am at. I have asked that you provide me your pickup location information and I will arrange with a carrier to pick up the puppy and have it shipped to me.

If this arrangement is satisfactory to you, please let me know asap so you can have the dog out early tomorrow.

Thanks so much!

From that point forward, it's a blur, really. Here, my wife is devastated at this loss, while I'm grateful to have recognized this scheme for what it was.

There were a few more phone calls to try to push us to send payment. Mr. Hawkins even made an offer to accept half-payment up front and the other half on deliver. Hey, I guess to bilk someone out of half is better to bilk them out of nothing, I guess.

I have not yet heard back from these people.

I spent several hours today searching the web and found this problem is really prevalent. However, I think too many times people want to tuck and run and be defeated. I on the other hand, take pride in having defeated a con artist at his own game.

I feel it must be shared and people should be made aware of the scams out there. If I say nothing, maybe the next guy will be taken. But, perhaps someone will pause for a minute, this article will show in a search result and allow someone else to save their hard-earned cash.

[AlanJones]

Adverts from the previous post for Google.

http://www.pennysaverusa.com/classifieds/merchandise/free-stuff/usa/texas/harris/houston/77005/english-bulldog-puppies-for-free-93091478.html

English Bulldog puppies are available for free to good and lovely home. There are all well home trained puppies and each puppy is coming with all health papers and registration papers. Text me now on 740-527-0234 for more information and pictures

http://www.pennysaverusa.com/classifieds/merchandise/free-stuff/usa/texas/taylor/abilene/79601/english-bulldog-puppies-for-free-93952583.html

English Bulldog puppies for free. male and female female. Vet checked, shots and worming current. Health guarantee. These 12 weeks old home raised English bulldog puppies are AKC registered and can make a very good addition into any family.text

Alan, this was my first tip-off. I saw there were similar postings from September of this year that stated the dogs were 12 weeks old. So when I asked this seller to verify the ages of the dogs, I would have expected them to be 5 months, but they claimed to be just shy of 12 weeks.

Thanks for your work on this forum.