Fairview, Oklahoma
How to identify online puppy scams
How to identify a scam when buying a new puppy from a breeder: Red Flags
I had someone contact me this morning because they drove all the way from Montana for a puppy and breeder who didn’t exist, based off a fake website. So sad!
So here’s how to spot some of those red flags for online puppy scams when looking at dog breeder websites.
1. Usually the photos are stolen from famous dogs on social media. That’s why none of the puppies have consistent backgrounds. That’s why some already have collar id tags (because they belong to someone else). Try using a reverse image search on Google.
2. They (the fake website) have no social media presence-I don’t see them on Facebook or Instagram.
3. In our case, you can also verify we are members of the ACDCA club (Australian Cattle Dog Club of America), we are listed on their website as a [COE Breeder.](https://www.acdca.org/coe-breeders/)
4. If they claim their dogs have health testing, you should be able to look it up on [OFA](https://ofa.org/) in the public database by using the dog's registered name or registration number and be able to verify that they are telling the truth that way.
5. They always have puppies right away and are willing to price haggle and puppies are usually priced cheaply. The average price for a well bred ACD is $1000-$2000.
6. If they claim to show, they should be able to produce some recent show results of their dogs like this: [Onofrio Show Results](https://www.onofrio.com/execpgm/wbrtbred?wtsrk1=WCOK1452507AUC&MBR=WCOK1).
7. Good breeders still take deposits to hold puppies, yes, sight unseen. We also use a Platform ([GoodDog](https://www.gooddog.com/breeders/flying-d-kennels-oklahoma)) that is reputable and offers you buyer protection. Sometimes, but not always, apps like Cash App or Venmo can be a red flag.
If you ever need help vetting a breeder, please reach out.
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