BBB: Puppy Scam Linked to Fort Addresses Bilks Thousands From Customers

Fort Worth, TX (WBAP/KLIF) – A puppy scam linked to addresses in Fort Worth has reportedly bilked over a dozen customers nationwide out of thousands of dollars over the past four months.

The Better Business Business Bureau Serving the Heart of the Texas says it has received numerous reports alleging payments were provided companies for puppies never delivered.

Each of these businesses used a Fort Worth, Texas, address on its website and listed similar or identical phone numbers. However, BBB’s investigation found that none of the addresses were actually associated with these businesses and none of the phone numbers were active. Furthermore, all the websites were registered to a person based in India.

The websites, which included company names like Fluffy Frenchies, Kingdom Chows, Playful Frenchies and more, appear to have been taken offline — all of them were registered to a man in India.

The BBB serves up the following tips to avoid being the victim of a pet scam:

– Avoid buying a pet without seeing it in person.

– Never send cash via money order or Western Union to a stranger.

– Always use a credit card in case you need to dispute the charges.

– Do research to get a sense of what a fair price is for the breed you are interested in adopting. Think twice if someone is advertising a purebred dog for free or at a deeply discounted price. It could be a fraudulent offer. 

(Copyright 2019 WBAP/KLIF 24/7 News)