Natrona County Sheriffs Department warns about online pet buying scam

CASPER, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) - The Casper-Natrona County International Airport has reported two instances in the last month of individuals purchasing a pet online, only to find out later that they have become a victim of an online scam. In 2021, pet scams made up 35% of all online shopping scams reported to the Better Business Bureau.

“It’s sad. It’s not only sad when you think about the person losing whatever the money is that they paid, but you know, they’re probably emotionally invested in this pet,” said Natrona County International Airport Director Glenn Januska.

Sellers are posing online as legitimate companies or breeders in an attempt to lure in individuals seeking a furry companion to add to their families. The supposed seller asks for payment for the animal upfront, as well as excess fees for crates and insurance during transport.

“This is something that’s happening, and if you’re doing this, if you’re gonna be purchasing a pet that’s having to be shipped just be aware that these types of scams are going on right now,” said Januska.

Websites appear real on the surface, with photos of animals for adoption, and in some cases even offer video conferencing to meet the animal virtually. The internet scammer goes as far as providing airline flight or cargo company information for the purchased pet. It’s not until the unsuspecting buyer arrives at the airport do they realize that the pet does not exist, and ultimately, they have been scammed.

“A lot of the times these online scammers really target the emotional aspect of an individual so in this instance someone is seeking a new companion to join their family,” said Natrona County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Kiera Grogan.

Over the last several months there has been a variety of scams surfacing in the Natrona County community. Scammers are frequently seeking new avenues to take advantage of individuals, and are using a multitude of tactics to appear as realistic and convincing as possible. These scammers almost always reside in another state or country. This makes it extremely difficult if not impossible for law enforcement to identify them, locate them, and prosecute them for the crime(s) they committed.

“Just like any other online purchase, think before you click. If it seems too good to be true, it likely is. Do your research and homework on large purchases by checking company reviews on trusted sources like the Better Business Bureau. Always use a secure payment method like a credit card or PayPal account that provides buyer protection. Consistently monitoring your bank and credit history is a good way to ensure you’re not being defrauded. If you find a suspicious or fraudulent transaction, immediately report it to the credit bureaus and your credit card company,” said NCSO Investigator Drew Cotton.

If you are choosing to adopt a pet through the internet, the Better Business Bureau offers the following advice: Don’t buy a pet without seeing it in person. Conduct a reverse image search of the picture of the pet you are considering. If the same picture appears on multiple websites, it’s likely a fraud. You also can search for distinctive text from ads or testimonials, to see if the seller copied it from another website. Avoid wiring money, or using a cash app or gift card. These payment methods offer no way to get your money back if you are the victim of fraud. Do research to get a sense of a fair price for the breed you are considering. Think twice if someone advertises a purebred dog for free or at a deeply discounted price, it could be a fraudulent offer.

“A lot of the time these online scammers are trying to convince the buyer to pay in an insecure method so by paying via Venmo or Zelle instead of paying with something like a credit card or PayPal that provides some buyer protection,” said Grogan.

Scams can and should be reported to organizations like the BBB, Federal Trade Commission, and local authorities. The BBB also encourages those seeking to adopt animals online to use the resource petscams.com which tracks complaints and catalogs puppy scammers.

On Tuesday, May 24th from 1 pm-2 pm, Natrona County Sheriff John Harlin will be participating in the Fraud Awareness Lunch and Learn Event hosted by Reliant Federal Credit Union at the Natrona County Library. Sheriff Harlin, along with other local and federal law enforcement agency representatives, will be sharing information about fraud specifically happening in our community. The event is free to community members interested in learning how to protect themselves against fraud.

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