CONSUMER ALERT: Attorney General Moody Provides Tips for Floridians to Avoid Puppy Scams on National Pet Day

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, “On National Pet Day, I am urging Floridians to be careful when searching for a new, four-legged family member. Scammers may try to take advantage of consumers when looking to purchase a puppy—I’m issuing tips and a new infographic designed to help future pet owners avoid falling for scams.”

Attorney General Moody lists important tips to help consumers avoid puppy scams:

• Meet the puppy before purchase to make sure it is in good living condition and does not have any obvious preexisting health issues;
• Be wary of online sales that seem too-good-to-be-true—they probably are;
• Reverse image search pictures of the animal to see if they are just stock photos;
• Know that a legitimate seller will never require payment by gift card, wire transfer service or cryptocurrency—use a credit card when possible for the added protections;
• Make sure that a pet store can provide proper paperwork, specify breeders and clearly list the transportation history of the puppy; and
• Carefully read the language of a contract.

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