Beware of pet adoption scams

Welcoming a new pet into your home can be one of life’s greatest joys. Sadly, scammers know this too and they’re exploiting animal lovers through increasingly sophisticated pet adoption scams. These schemes often target those who want to adopt or purchase a pet online, preying on emotions and using fake photos, false advertising, phony paperwork, and pressure tactics to steal money or personal information. The latest statistics available indicate that Californians lost the most amount of money to pet adoption scams compared to any other state.

At the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, we care deeply about the wellbeing of both people and animals. We have two units that take on animal cases. One is our Animal Cruelty Prosecution Unit, which was launched in 2018 and the other is through our Economic Crimes and Consumer Protection Division, where our expert prosecutors would handle cases involving false advertising, puppy mills or other profitable but black-market operations that exploit innocent and vulnerable animals.

Pet scams are quite common with pure bred and designer breeds since they are harder to come by.

• Common Scams
Fake Breeders or Rescue Groups: Scammers create professional-looking websites or social media profiles with photos of adorable animals that don’t actually exist, also known as the “Phantom Pet Scam”.

Shipping and “Pet Insurance” Scams: After you pay the initial adoption or purchase fee, the scammer demands more money for special crates, health certifications, or travel insurance, often claiming it’s urgent.

“Rehoming” Fee Scams: On Craigslist or Facebook, someone poses as a local pet owner “rehoming” a pet due to life circumstances. After receiving payment, they disappear.

Emotional Manipulation: Some scammers use sob stories, such as being deployed overseas or having a sick family member to get victims to send money quickly.

• Red Flags
No in-person meeting: The seller refuses or makes excuses not to meet or show the pet in person.

Requests for payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency: These are nearly impossible to trace or recover.

Poor grammar or generic communication: Many scammers copy-and-paste messages and use vague or awkward language.

Photos that appear in multiple listings: Reverse image search can reveal stolen or stock photos.

• How to Avoid Pet Scams

Adopt locally. Visit a local shelter or rescue where you can meet the animal and verify the legitimacy of the organization.

Research breeders or rescue groups.

Never send money sight unseen, especially to individuals you haven’t met in person.
Be skeptical of urgency. Scammers often claim the animal must be adopted immediately or is at risk, to pressure you into fast decisions.

Use secure payment methods such as credit cards that offer better fraud protection than wire services. Never use gift cards to pay.

• What to Do If You’ve Been Scammed

Report the fraud. Contact local law enforcement or file a complaint with the Federal

Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Notify your bank or payment service.

Warn others. Post in community groups and report fake listings to the platform used.

At the District Attorney’s Office, we are committed to protecting our community and its most vulnerable members — including animals. If you are thinking about bringing a pet into your life, considering adoption or be sure your act of kindness doesn’t turn into a costly scam.

As your District Attorney, I’m committed to increasing communication and accessibility between the DA’s Office and the public. I hope these consumer and public safety tips have been helpful.