Short answer: Before anything else, ask “Can I meet the pet in person, where it lives, before I pay?” The Better Business Bureau says fake sellers send lots of photos but never allow a visit or video chat, then ask for payment through apps like Zelle or Venmo and invent extra shipping charges. BBB Scam Tracker received 2,278 online pet scam reports in 2024, with a median loss of $680.
The questions you ask before adopting from an online listing do double duty — they surface practical information you need, and the quality of the answers tells you a lot about whether the listing is legitimate in the first place.
Questions About the Pet Itself
- How long have you had this pet, and why are you rehoming them? Specific, consistent answers are a good sign; vague or shifting explanations are not.
- What’s their age, breed, and any known health history? A genuine caretaker can usually describe this in real detail.
- Are they up to date on vaccinations, and which clinic treated them? Ask to see documentation, and call the clinic to confirm the pet is a patient.
- Is the pet microchipped, and what’s the number? In the US, AAHA’s microchip registry lookup shows which registry a chip is listed with, so you can confirm who it’s registered to.
- Do they have any behavioral quirks, fears, or training in progress? People who’ve actually lived with an animal can usually describe daily habits and personality specifically.
Questions About Meeting and Logistics
- Can I meet the pet in person, where they currently live? This is the single most revealing question — the BBB’s advice to buyers is to “always insist upon an in-person visit.”
- Can I see them interact with you or their current family? This often reveals more about the relationship, and the animal’s real temperament, than any verbal description.
- Is there any fee involved, what does it cover, and how can I pay? A modest rehoming or adoption fee is common and not itself a red flag. Pressure to pay before meeting the animal is — and the BBB notes that in pet scams, money typically changes hands through payment apps like Zelle or Venmo.
- Will the pet be shipped? The BBB specifically warns against sellers across the country who offer to ship a pet, and against follow-up requests for kennel, crate or customs fees.
Red Flags in the Answers — and What They Usually Mean
| What you hear or see | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| “I’m away — the pet will be shipped to you” | The BBB says fake sellers promise shipping instead of a visit |
| New fees after you pay (crate, insurance, customs, “stuck at the airport”) | A common pattern described by the BBB and Humane World for Animals to extract repeat payments |
| Payment requested only through apps like Zelle or Venmo | The BBB says this is how money typically changes hands in pet scams |
| Photos that appear elsewhere online | The BBB recommends a reverse image search to catch stolen photos |
| A “teacup” dog promised to stay tiny | The BBB warns many such dogs are simply small at birth and grow to full size |
| No questions asked about you or your home | Suggests interest in the payment, not the animal’s welfare |
Questions to Expect Them to Ask You
A legitimate seller or rehoming owner — and especially a rescue — is often at least somewhat invested in where the animal ends up, which shows up as questions back to you:
- About your home setup and whether it suits the animal
- About your experience with that species or breed
- About your ability to provide ongoing care, including vet visits
A listing where the other party asks you nothing at all, and seems focused only on completing the transaction quickly, is worth extra caution.
How Common Are Online Pet Scams?
Common enough to plan for. The BBB’s 2025 study update counts 2,899 online pet scam reports to its Scam Tracker in 2023 and 2,278 in 2024, with 1,632 more through September 2025; median reported losses ranged from $600 to $750 a year between 2022 and 2025. It notes that more than half of pet scams start on a website found through a search engine or social media, that December and January bring the most reports, and that the true number is likely far higher because few victims report. Dogs are the most common lure, but reports also involved cats, hedgehogs, sugar gliders, lizards and birds.
A video call can help screen a listing, but the BBB now cautions buyers to “be aware of the various ways video can be manipulated,” after an investigator spotted what appeared to be AI-generated video in one attempted scam. Treat video as a first step toward a visit, not a replacement for one.
What Should You Do With the Answers?
- Take note of specificity and consistency — genuine caretakers give detailed, consistent answers; scam listings tend to be vague or contradictory under follow-up questions
- Reverse-image-search the listing photos before you get attached
- Insist on an in-person meeting before any payment or firm commitment
- Verify documentation — call the vet clinic and check the microchip — but don’t treat paperwork as a full substitute for meeting the animal
- Pay only after meeting, by a method you can dispute, and get a written receipt or adoption agreement
- Book a vet check soon after the pet comes home, even if records look complete
- Trust hesitation as real information — if something feels evasive, it’s reasonable to walk away, even without a single definitive red flag
If you’d rather skip online listings entirely, the BBB suggests considering a local shelter or rescue. Our guide to whether it’s safe to adopt a pet from classifieds covers Craigslist-style sites specifically, and the real cost of owning a dog or cat helps you budget before you commit. If a seller claims the pet is being imported, compare their story with what the CDC actually requires for dogs entering the US.
What If You’ve Already Paid?
Act quickly. Contact your bank, card issuer or payment app to try to stop or dispute the payment, and don’t send any further “fees.” Keep screenshots of the listing, messages and payment details. In the US, report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to BBB Scam Tracker. In India, the Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre directs victims to report on the 1930 helpline or at cybercrime.gov.in.
This article is general information, not legal or financial advice, and does not replace guidance from your veterinarian.
Sources
- Better Business Bureau — Puppy Scams: 2025 Study Update, 2025
- AAHA — Microchip Registry Lookup
- Federal Trade Commission — ReportFraud.ftc.gov
- Indian Cybercrime Coordination Centre, Ministry of Home Affairs — I4C
- National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (India) — cybercrime.gov.in
