Scams, Dumb Email Du Jour & Delilah earns new title
A new puppy scam is making its way around the net. This one preys on the weakness of people to ‘help homeless animals’, with a liberal helping of greed thrown in for good measure.
The email purports to be from someone running an ‘animal rescue’ in Thailand. Apparently, they’re swamped with tons of cute puppies needing good homes, and financial support. You’re directed to their free served hosted website, which shows photos of clean, healthy, show quality French Bulldog, Pug, Boston and Bulldog puppies. Wow, who knew Thailand was over run with feral packs of show quality Brachy puppies? Last time I was there, all I saw were skinny, malnourished little street dogs. Things must have changed a lot since then.
You’re invited to contact this ‘animal rescue’ group to inquire about adopting or sponsoring one of their rescues, which inevitably leads to the request for a money order transfer to pay for the puppy’s shipping costs, or medical needs. This new scam is good – they can milk this out for months, telling the prospective ‘owners’ that the puppy needs vet care before being shipping, or export papers, or a government inspection, all of which they need you to pay for. Once they’ve milked as much as they can from one website, they shut it down and set up shop with a new one.
You’d think this would be easy to spot by now, but it’s amazing how many people’s brains shut down when they see cute puppy photo+cheap price. So, be on the look out, people. Oh, and if the pup belongs to a ‘Missionary’ who’s been sent to Africa? Run double time fast.
New Email Dumbness
Some days, it just doesn’t seem to pay to try to be polite to people. Here’s the newest fun from my inbox:
Initial Email:
I’m writing to enquire about your Frenchies. We really want to add one to our life!! We live in a small apartment in XXX. I am a single mother with two very well behaved children, a xxx aged 10 and a xxx aged 12. I am on a very limited income, but we have so much love to give and we would be a great home. We’d appreciate any help yiou can give us.
My reply:
Thanks for writing, XXX. It sounds like you and your children would indeed be a great home for a lucky dog, but perhaps Frenchies aren’t the best choice for you.
No matter how inexpensively you acquire one, it’s the long term costs with French Bulldogs which can add up. Owners are strongly advised to set aside a minimum of $2,000 per year just for veterinary expenses. It’s not often you need to spend that much, but it certainly can happen, and it’s best to be prepared. As well, Frenchies do best on some rather esoteric – and rather expensive! – foods, which can easily cost another $40+ dollars per month.
If you still think you’d be interested in a Frenchie, I can suggest you try rescue. Here’s their link – http://www.frenchbulldogrescue.org . They will have their own criteria they’ll require you to meet, but the adoption fees are certainly more reasonable than the standard $2500+ most good breeders ask for a puppy.
Good luck, and let me know how it goes.
Her reply:
You think that just because we’re not rich we only deserve a crappy dog that no one else wanted? My kids want a PUPPY. Thanks for being too greedy to make their dreams come true. God will make you pay for being so cruel to two small children.
Well, crap. Now God apparently hates me, because I won’t sell cheap dogs to random strangers. It certainly does suck to me sometimes.
Oh, Delilah has a new official title – The Cutest Puppy in the Entire Known Universe, So There. And yes, that’s an officially sanctioned title. More photos of her Royal Snottiness after this weekend’s Turkey Fest (For you Yanks, this weekend is Thanksgiving in Canada).
