People visiting cylixfrenchies.com might think they’re looking at a regular website for a puppy breeder.
The site claims to be operated by “a small family-owned kennel concentrating on breeding superior Teacup French Bulldog Puppies as family pets” out of Memphis, Tennessee.
But according to the Better Business Bureau, it’s a scam, WHBQ-TV reported.
But around the country, puppy scammers are hitting hard, the BBB said. Across North America, fraud in the industry is up, with pet scams accounting for more than 25% of all scams reported to the BBB Scam Tracker. And the organization said pet scams are now the “riskiest” scams, with 70% of victims ultimately losing money. The number of victims is likely higher, as many people don’t report the fraud, the BBB said.
This particular scam had victims in four states: Alaska, Missouri, Nevada and Tennessee.
In a blog post from May, the BBB told the story of one woman who lost more than $1,100 to two different puppy scammers.
“Many [people] have come across scammers advertising animals that don’t exist and are never shipped,” the agency wrote. “The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has given scammers the idea to ask for money up front or to make excuses as to why buyers can’t see the pet in person -- before heartbroken, would-be pet owners figure out they have been conned.”
The bureau recommended the following:
- Don’t buy a pet without seeing it in person.
- Avoid wiring money or using a cash app or gift card.
- Research normal prices for the breed you are interested in adopting.
- Consider reaching out to a local animal shelter.
- If you think you have been scammed or have found a suspicious website, report it to the BBB Scam Tracker and the Federal Trade Commission.
Read more at the American Kennel Club and the BBB.