Have they no shame (silly question)? We’re talking here about a criminal variation on a shockingly funny ad featuring a puppy and a handgun that I first saw almost 30 years ago when editing my college yearbook: “Buy a yearbook,” the ad commanded, “or we’re going to shoot this dog.”
In today’s not-so-funny real life, according to the Los Angeles Times, kind-hearted animal lovers are being bilked:
“The sites and ads usually show adorable puppies that somehow have become stuck in Nigeria or other countries, and are offered free to new owners. A variation is to offer the puppies, such as purebred English bulldogs – a particularly expensive breed – at vastly discounted prices.”
The scam has become so commonplace that the Council of Better Business Bureaus and the American Kennel Club were to issue a public warning today.
Victims have reported losing as much as $1,500. What follows after they send their money is predictable to anyone familiar with the workings of the Nigerian spam scam.
“When people hear about these scams involving pups they get so upset for the poor dogs,” said Alison Preszler, a council spokeswoman. “But at least I can say to them, ‘There are no real puppies involved. It’s all a fake.’ “
You can see a sample of one of the ads here. Forward on to your dog-loving friends … especially the gullible ones.
