Caledonia Police issue warning after 4 people fall victim to puppy scam

The Caledonia Police Department has received several fraud complaints where the victims have wired money to Texas, Georgia, and Florida for a puppy they found for sale on the internet. Four victims have been scammed for a total of $2655.

The victims were told as soon as they wired money to the seller, their puppy would be transported by air and delivered to their doorstep.

The Village of Caledonia Police issued the following red flags from the investigation:

• Depending on the breed, puppies can be expensive. Be cautious if someone is willing to sell you a puppy that normally costs over a thousand dollars for half that amount.
• Fake Transport companies. If the seller states they use a transport company that is based in the USA, and has branches around the world, Google it.
• Foreign accents when discussing the purchase and grammatical errors in written correspondence. Sometimes foreigners have a hard time translating the English language which results in strange grammar and incorrect punctuation. This could indicate the seller/scammer is outside of the US.
• Fake microchip numbers. There is a website that you can enter your pet's microchip number to see if it is a valid number.
• There are many reputable breeders all over the country. If you want to purchase a puppy from someone you don't know, get references and do research on them. Call people who have purchased pets from seller/breeders, ask questions!