Online pet sales attract a specific set of scams, and they are consistent enough to list.
The ones that keep happening:
- Photos taken from somewhere else. Reverse image search catches most of these in seconds.
- Advance payment for delivery from another city, then silence.
- The animal that arrives is not the animal in the photos, or is younger, or is sick.
- Fake papers and fake pedigrees.
- A sick animal sold quickly and cheaply, with a story about why it must go today.
- Being asked to pay before seeing the animal, ever, for any reason.
What people do about it:
- See the animal in person, at the seller's home, with its mother if it is young
- Meet in daylight, take someone with you
- Pay on collection
- Ask for a video call while it is still available, and ask them to do something specific on camera
- Get a vet check within 48 hours and agree beforehand what happens if it fails
Post what happened to you, or what you now insist on. Naming a seller is fine if you can state facts.