Victim Location 94602
Total money lost $770
Type of a scam Online Purchase
After reviewing the website: marilynsboxerhome.com, I called the phone number (786-802-8928) and sent an email ([email protected]) to inquire about one of their dogs and ask about their breeding philosophy and practices. I immediately received a text message from 786-802-8928 with information on the dog and vaccine records, as well as a guarantee of health. I asked to speak directly instead of texting and the person called me about 15 mins later. We had a conversation and he answered my questions relatively well, although his cell phone reception was not good. I asked where he was from, as the website didn’t say, and he said he lives in Miami and is American. I asked about accent and he said he is Croatian American. He mentioned his wife and daughter and more about the dogs. I felt like he answered my questions and we came to an agreement on timeline. I agreed to pay for a particular dog, Trooper, and he explained the cost for shipping and how the process worked and I was given the option to pay via PayPal or Chase Zelle. I used Chase Zelle since Chase is my bank and it felt secure. The shipping advertised was the reputable company IPATA. The contact continued to send me confirmations about the shipping process, gave me options for shipping times.
Less than 24 hours later, I had a security breach on my email account (origin United Arab Emirates), and a confirmation that the dog had shipped but it was via Alen Pet Relocations, not IPATA. I noted this, but continued. A few hours later I got a call from another phone number (276-299-1505) telling me to check my email for an "urgent email!" He said I had to respond within 60 minutes. Say what?
I checked my email and it looked like a spoof email, it said the dog is in transit and the airport rejected the crate he was in and requested more money to change it’s crate, giving me a choice of $920 or $1000 crate. That’s more than the cost of the dog. Please note the person on the phone had a different US area code (276-299-1505) but had the SAME accent as the first man, the supposed owner. Just noting. I refused to pay more money and it didn’t make sense that the airport rejected a crate while already in travel. I contacted the original person I spoke with, because as the seller he is responsible for shipping (that I paid for). He played dumb at first saying he didn’t understand the question and said then said he would call the person. He got back to me reiterating the issue and telling me I need to pay for the crate. I pointed out how that is ridiculous. He then became more agitated by my questions and then he stopped responding. I knew something was not right. I attempted to call him again, but no response. I have this evidence of all of the text messages and emails exchanged. I reported this scam to Chase Bank immediately and they are trying to refund the funds. This pet relocation is clearly not a business, it’s a scam. The dog I bought is still being advertised on the website, along with other fakes.