If you’re looking to gobble up some deals on Cyber Monday, make sure you’re thinking twice before crossing items off that holiday list.
Many scam artists are scouring social media, taking advantage of customers purchasing items online.
One local family shared their experience about buying a puppy online with CBS 21's Nick Volturo, and they say it turned out to be all bark and no bite.
Mila Zimmerman says she dreamed about getting a puppy. “I wanted a puppy since my neighbor got a puppy.”
She even picked out toys and more for her new canine companion. “We got the crate, we got bowls."
Mila’s mother says she found a post on Facebook from a friend selling Yorkie puppies.
“He was giving them away, but all you had to is pay a rehoming fee." said Marisa Zimmerman.
Marisa says she trusted the man, she knew the family from high school, so she sent him a message. “He was like yeah, they are my cousins, so I just want everyone to put a down payment, so they are sure someone is coming to get them.”
She offered to pay cash since the two knew each other, but he insisted on the payment upfront.
“If you just send half the money now, you can pay the rest of the money later in cash.” Zimmerman says the man told her.
She Venmoed him one-hundred dollars, but that’s when things got weird. “Within a few minutes I got text I thought was from Venmo, that said that the money didn’t go through." Zimmerman said.
But her account revealed the transaction was successful.
“He was like just try it again, and I was like no, this wasn’t meant to be." Zimmerman said.
A Google search revealing the text wasn’t from Venmo. Marisa says she knew she got scammed. “Obviously, this is not what I thought it was, so either return my money or I’ll contact Venmo and they immediately they logged off.”
It turned out her friend’s account was hacked, and Marisa found others who fell prey to the same scheme.
“She got the text saying that the hundred dollars didn’t go through, and she was put in the same exact situation.” Zimmerman said about another who was also apparently a victim of the scam.
And while Mila’s hope of a new puppy was put on a tight leash for now. “I didn’t want to do anything because I was so sad."
The family says they refuse to be muzzled, warning others to be wary of this holiday hoax.
Zimmerman warns, “If you feel something doesn’t seem right or something feels off, just go with that feeling.”
No not only don’t they have a puppy, but Marisa says she’s out 150 bucks. Venmo told her to file a police report which she plans to do tomorrow in order to get that money back.