Before you click "Buy" on the photo of that oh so cute and cuddly Labrador Retriever, you might want to check out the newly released internet crime report from the IC3 organization. Their compiled statistics for the calendar year 2007 show a disturbing increase in the amount of online fraud ($240 million) as well as creative new methods used by the online criminal groups, including two kinds of pet scams.
The online crimes include mostly auction fraud (35.7%) and nondelivery of goods fraud (24.9%). The highest amount of money is being lost in the category of investment fraud (median loss of $3500). This would include such typical things as "pump and dump" stock scams. Most of the perpetrators are men (75%) and most of the victims are also male but not to the same degree (57.6% male). The top state where either the criminal or victim resides is California followed closely by Florida, New York and Texas (in varying order depending on which category.)
Some of the newest scams target pet lovers. Whether you are someone who would buy or sell, you need to know about these new frauds. If you were considering to purchase a pet online (an increasingly popular method though I fear it puts you in touch with pets from those Dickensian horrors, the puppy mills) you might fall victim to the pet sale scam. In this easy to imagine scenario, you contact the seller, arrange for a price and then send off your money. And of course, your darling little puppy or kitten or bunny never shows up, because it never actually existed outside of HTML.
Or if you are the seller, you'll be contacted by someone who wants to purchase your little fluffball. A check is received but for more than the agreed upon amount. Wow! That's a nice surprise but you check with the buyer who tells you that the extra amount is for someone who will help with the shipping and care of the new pet. Somehow an agreement is reached for you to cash the check (right away) and send a wire transfer or otherwise get the extra funds to this "third party." And of course the original check is no good but it doesn't bounce on you for a week or so. Meanwhile that third party has your good money, you still have the pet and you are now doubly suspicious of every new customer you meet.
And then there's the lonely hearts scam: online dating fraud. In this one, someone checks out your profile on your online dating site and sends you an email to start chatting. You begin a completely virtual relationship with someone who is geographically distant from you but otherwise devoted. Unwittingly, you begin "falling" for the words of this new love, believing their lies and planning a future meeting. The new love has limited funds to buy a plane ticket so you send them the money. But something comes up, perhaps an aunt is ill (the medical costs!), then dies (more expenses) and has to be buried (oh the bills!) Always an excuse why they need a little money before they can come be with you. And on it goes with you sending money, they sending you lies until you suddenly realize what's going on.
Original posting date: Monday, April 7, 2008 | 2:00 PM |