Who: The FTC collects reports of pet and adoption scams.
When to use: Use when you paid for a pet you did not receive.
What to prepare:
- Website or contact
- Amount paid
- Screenshots
FTC ReportFraud~5 min
Category: Prizes & charity
Pet adoption scam
How it often plays out
You find a pet "rescuer" online and pay adoption and shipping fees. The pet never arrives, or the "rescuer" keeps asking for more money for "vet fees" or "customs." Fake rescues use stolen photos and emotional appeals to get payment. The "rescuer" may keep asking for more money for "vet fees" or "customs" even after you have paid adoption and shipping. Real rescues allow in-person or verified adoption and do not keep demanding more fees. Reverse-image search any photos to see if they were stolen from real shelters.
How to spot it
Common red flags: pressure to act immediately, requests for payment by gift card or wire, offers that seem too good to be true, or unsolicited requests for your personal or financial details.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Verify the rescue through local shelters or BBB.
- Reverse-image search photos to see if they are stolen from real rescues.
- Report to the FTC and your state AG.
Don't
- Pay by wire or gift card for a pet you have not seen in person.
- Send more money for "vet fees" or "customs" after initial payment.
- Trust emotional appeals without verifying the rescue.
Summary & what to do
Fake pet adoption or rescue sites charge fees for animals that do not exist or never ship. Real rescues allow in-person or verified adoption and do not keep demanding more fees.
What to do right now
- Do not pay by wire or gift card. Verify the rescue through local shelters or BBB.
- Reverse-image search photos to see if they are stolen from real rescues.
- Report to the FTC and your state AG.
Where to report
Who: Your state Attorney General may handle consumer and charity fraud.
When to use: Use to report in your state.
What to prepare:
- What happened