Puppy scammers target lonely Aussies during lockdown

SYDNEY: Australia is suffering a wave of puppy scams as fraudsters target the lonely and locked down with fake online offers of cavoodles, French bulldogs and other popular pooches, authorities said.

The consumer watchdog ACCC said the scammers fleeced people looking for a new pet out of some Aus$300,000 (US$196,000) in April alone, fives times higher than the normal monthly average.

“A lot of people are stuck at home and going online to buy a pet to help them get through the loneliness of social isolation,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.

“Unfortunately the rush to get a new pet and the unusual circumstances of Covid-19 makes it harder to work out what’s real or a scam.” — AFP