Those buying German Shepherd puppies for Bitcoin online are in for a ruff ride.
Puppy photos are undeniably irresistible but beware; researchers have uncovered a scheme selling fake German Shepherd puppies for Bitcoin, leaving buyers crushed and without a tiny fuzzy friend to cuddle on Christmas morning.
The scam was discovered by an intrepid researcher at Anomali, who got wind of the fake puppy offer and decided to investigate.
“When one of our researchers heard about this con, he dug deeper into it,” Gage Mele, researcher with Anomali, told Threatpost. “Because consumers are last-minute shopping ahead of the holidays and continuing to buy pets at a higher rate due to COVID-19 shelter-at-home restrictions, we issued a consumer alert.”
Puppy scammers first steal your heart, then your money
“I don t think it is possible to do any sort of search for a puppy or kitten online without coming across the scam site, it s just incredibly common. Author: PJ Randhawa Updated: 8:41 AM CST December 18, 2020
ST. LOUIS This year s No. 1 reported scam relies on man s best friend to win your heart and eventually empty your wallet.
“I don t have kids, so it s always been on my mind to have two to three dogs,” said Matt Robeck.
He said he thought getting another puppy would take the edge off a tense year.
A New Brighton woman fell prey to an online scam in March when she tried to buy a dog for her mother online, new court records show.
The woman hoped to purchase a puppy named “Pansy” from a website advertising mini-dachshunds. She first received a text from a man indicating the dog was available for $600, and subsequently sent him the money via Walmart gift cards.
She then received a “transfer of ownership” form and an email indicating Pansy would be shipped through “Pets Fly America” from Texas to Pittsburgh within days. But unfortunately, the woman was told, Pansy was rerouted to Oklahoma for “COVID-19 quarantine,” and the seller required additional fees to deliver the dog.
Details Written by Justice Department
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - A criminal complaint unsealed Friday in federal court in Pittsburgh charges Desmond Fodje Bobga for his alleged involvement in a puppy fraud scheme perpetrated against American consumers. Fodje Bobga, 27, is a citizen of Cameroon who is in Romania on a visa to attend a university there.
He is charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, forging a seal of the U.S. Supreme Court, and aggravated identity theft. Fodje Bobga has been arrested. A website that was used in the online puppy fraud scheme, www.lovelyhappypuppy.com, is already deleted.
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