Email scams are pretty ubiquitous nowadays. Either an African Prince wants to pay you to move money from his homeland to an American bank, or someone tries to get you to pay the taxes on the millions of dollars you supposedly won. The puppy adoption email has become just as prevalent. Here’s an example: you receive an email from someone abroad (or see an ad online). She fears for her puppy’s health and wants to get him back to the US as soon as possible. All you need to do is send the $100 custom’s fee through Western Union or MoneyGram to the head of the Pet Healthcare and Customs Department.  Once the pet is supposedly en route, they will try to get more money from you as an airline insurance fee. Of course the puppy never arrives.

Now that websites have begun sounding the alarm, scammers are revising their tactics—using fake Pet transport companies instead of referring to actual pet shipping companies. As long as people have good intentions, scam artists will find new ways to manipulate them.

You may not be the type to fall victim to this type of scam, but sadly people do. Spread the word to all the animal lovers in your life. If you see a pet adoption email or ad, it is most likely a scam. Whether they ask you to save a sick puppy or promise a pure-bred animal at no cost beyond shipping, they are criminal, and they will rip you off.