Pet scams are nothing new.  For a long time scam artists have sold non-existent pedigree dogs over the Internet to unwary buyers, however, today’s scam which comes from La Salada, Argentina is, however, definitely a new scam.  Scammers have been injecting ferrets (yes, ferrets) with steroids, fluffing up their coats and selling them as pedigree toy poodles to tourists.

TIPS

Never buy a pedigree dog from a breeder until you have researched the breeder.  Check out the reputation of the breeder with your state’s attorney general, the Better Business Bureau and even Google the breeder’s name with the word “scam” next to it and see what comes up.  Always get a veterinary report on any animal you are considering buying.   For more information about online pet scams and how to avoid them, check out the Scam of the Day for October 8, 2012 in the Scamicide archives.