Avoid Parrot Pet Scam

f you’re looking for a furry new family member online, chances are good that you’ll find a scam. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) estimates that 80 percent of sponsored search links for pet sales may be fraudulent, advertising animals the supposed sellers don’t own.

Pet scams hook consumers with adorable photos and heart-tugging tales of critters in need of forever homes. They usually involve puppies, but any kind of animal that people seek as a companion can be the subject of fraud, from cats and older dogs to birds, horses and exotic pets.

Warning Signs

• The asking price for a parrot far below the normal rate for a popular breed. example $500 for a hyacinth macaw above 
• The person offering the animal insists on shipping and rebuffs offers to collect the pet in person.
• Emails from the seller or the shipping company have poor spelling and grammar.
• The seller demands payment by money transfer (such as Western Union or MoneyGram), gift card or prepaid debit card.
• The shipment is continually held up by demands that you wire more money for, say, insurance, pet food, veterinary care.
• they post ads on social media or online marketplaces like Craigslist, posing as pet owners forced by personal or financial circumstances to put a beloved kitty or pooch up for “free” adoption to a loving family willing to cover shipping costs.
• If you respond, they’ll ask due-diligence-type questions about your home situation and experience with pets, but the only query they really care about is whether you’ll wire a payment.
• The swindlers are betting that your emotional investment in the anticipated pet will keep the payments coming, into the hundreds or even thousands of dollars. If you become suspicious, they may resort to threats, claiming the animal will die or you’ll be charged with animal abandonment (a real crime but one that does not apply in situations like this). Don’t get caught in their trap. When you search for your next four-legged friend, look to a reputable local breeder, shelter or rescue organization.

WHAT YOU MUST DO TO AVOID A PARROT SCAM

• Do research what reputable breeders are charging for the breed you are interested in. Be skeptical of deep discounts.
• Don’t deal with an advertiser or seller who doesn’t provide a phone number or will communicate only by email or text. MAKE SURE YOU TALK TO SELLER BEFOE YOU CAN MOVE ON WITH ANYTHING.
• Don’t believe threats that the animal will suffer, or you will face criminal charges if you don’t continue sending money.
• If they ask you any extra or hidden charges, avoid communicating with them, it’s a scam
• if the seller asks you to send money via money transfer method such as western union, money gram, ria, or gift cards, know its most likely to be a scam.
• Do warn your kids and grandkids. An unusually high proportion of victims of online pet scams are in their late teens or 20s, according to the BBB.