Identity thief targets the canine world

Another internet puppy scam. And another stupid criminal.

A scammer stole the details of Afonwen Welch Fusilier, a two year-old standard Poodle who was winner of two dog shows last year in Wales. The details had accidentally been posted on a website. He then put out advertising claiming that the dog had had puppies and offering them for sale for up to £1,000 each.

However, the advertisements were spotted as fakes by an alert dog breeder who checked out the ad. According to Annette Connolly-Read of London, the buyer contacted her using “very poor English” and wanting money up front. He also sent pictures of a puppy.

The scammer, however, seemed to have the intelligence of squirrel poo.

§ He gave her the details of the pedigree and Ms. Connelly-Read was able to find out on the internet who actually owned the dog and contact her.
§ The pictures he sent were of a toy Poodle, not the advertised standard.
§ A check on the address he gave for the kennel showe it to be a Glasgow graveyard.
§ Oh, and Afonwen Welch Fusilier is in fact a male dog.

Best advice: think twice about putting money up front for a dog on the internet.

Police in North Wales are investigating the scam.

Comments

[Duke of Earle]

(snerk!) A MALE dog. Wondeerful!

John

[ed]

that dog is butt ugly

[Bailey, Baxter, Brody & Peg]

I hate internet scams.

[Therese]

It's amazing how low some people will go to make a buck!

[Carol]

There's not much difference between that, and the scamming morons who steal photos of dogs from the websites of reputable breeders, and put them up 'for sale' on sites like puppyfind.

We once had a local BYB who was showing potential buyers photos of our champion male, and claiming he was the sire of their litter.

[jackie]

people are such stupid animals..