Victim Location 81212
Total money lost $650
Type of a scam Online Purchase
I was searching for a local husky rescue center online, clicked a link and stumbled across an ad on Craigslist of husky puppies in need of a home, so I messaged the phone number provided. What could it hurt? They messaged me back a day later with pictures and were willing to work out a price. I sent a money gram through Walmart like an [censored]. They were located in Virginia and my location is Colorado so they said they would have to ship the puppy, but gave me the website before hand to check out to make sure everything is kosher. It looks like a good website and pretty reputable but boy was I wrong. After they dropped off the puppy at the transportation center, I received a tracking number to watch the progress online. All was good. Later on I received a phone call from said transportation company, stating that they need a special air ventilated crate for the puppy due to weather. Right. They wanted me to send $1250 for the RENTAL of this crate. Saying I would get a full refund upon arrival of the puppy. I did not pay the full amount, I got the “sellers” to pay over half of it, leaving me $350 on hold for this “refundable” charge. I’m an [censored] I know. All was fine after that, the puppy started it’s journey and made an interval stop in Texas. I received a message saying everything was good and he was on his last plane to finally come home to us. Just a 2 hour and 15 minute flight and he will be home by 2pm. I called at 2pm. An hour after the should’ve landed, nothing. I proceeded to call and text every thirty minutes from there on when I finally received another text saying that the puppy was “so weak” I hit that call button so many times. I finally got an answer from the company, saying that the puppy was showing signs of sickness and that they took it to a vet and it would be another two hours before they even considered shipping him again. Wtf. So I waited and then called two hours later. Now they’re saying that I HAVE TO PAY FOR THE VET BILLS BEFORE THEY SHIP HIM. Because I “am the rightful owner because all paperwork has my name on it from seller”. I told him no. This is all fake. He threatened me and told me that if I did not pay for the puppy’s vet bills as being the owner of the dog, that is animal abuse. Told me I didn’t provide insurance on the puppy. I asked him why they never gave me the opportunity to purchase insurance on the puppy and he says HE FORGOT to tell me, but they don’t offer it because they don’t want animals to be hurt or sick under their care. I call him out about how the puppy got sick under their care, that he admittedly told me he forgot to inform me and “as the rightful owner they did not have my permission to take my dog to the vet” and that that was illegal. HE THREATENED TO SUE ME IF I KEPT QUESTIONING HIS TRUTHFULNESS. Because it would look bad on the company. Ha. So through all of this I had been in contact with the “sellers” via text. Them being “upset” whenever I told them what was going on. Last I heard from the shipping company was last night, after he threatened me over the phone I sent a text demanding the vets phone number and location, told me he would have them call me in the morning as it was a vet stationed with their company. [censored]. I had texted all of this to “Morgan” which was obviously a fake name, didn’t hear anything back till around midnight tonight she called me multiple times and sent me many text messages upset that I thought they were scamming me. I did not reply, did not answer. I am waiting for the shipping company to call me back today and hoping they leave me a voicemail to keep as evidence. Every time I questioned any of their validity the mood changed instantly and became hostile. That’s how you know it’s a scam. Just don’t purchase anything online without speaking with and seeing the product before actually handing cash over. Most real people will not mind if you hand deliver your money to them upon meeting them. Also if you find a puppy or animal online and they want to ship it? Hell no. Just don’t do it. Stick to local things and animal shelters and people you can meet face to face. Not three fake aliases over phone, email and text. All in all I am out $650 for this foolish mistake. Don’t be like me, and when there’s a sign just pay attention to it instead of push it away.