14 DAY TRIAL // Fraudsters running Nigerian scams, or advance fee scams, don’t always use the “I’m reach and I’m going to share my fortune with you” line to trick people into handing over their money. A woman from Aurora, Colorado, has fallen victim to a different type of scam.
According to CBS4, scammers placed an ad on dog.oodle.com for a cute Siberian husky that was being sold for only $320 (€236). The victim, Kellie Bohrer, decided to buy the dog so she got in touch with the seller.
She was provided with more pictures and even a registration certificate to prove everything was legit.
That’s when the scammers started asking for more and more money. And they pushed it until the woman realized she was duped.
Initially, they asked for an extra $1,600 (€1,180), allegedly needed for insurance to ship the husky from Washington. Of course, Bohrer was told that she’d get the money back when the puppy would be delivered.
Later, the crooks asked for an extra $1,000 (€730). They claimed the puppy was in Idaho and that it needed a new carrier and some vaccinations. After she paid the money, the scammers pushed for even more, asking for another $4,500 (€3,300).
That’s when Bohrer started becoming suspicious. After analyzing the certificate provided to her by the seller, she determined it was fake.
It turns out the woman is not the only one who fell victim to this type of scam. The American Pet registry in Arkansas has received around 10 complaints regarding such schemes from all over the country.
CBS4 has found that the picture of the cute husky is being used on several websites by scammers.
Authorities advise people who come across such schemes to report them to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.