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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