Pet Adoption Fraud

I just wanted to put out the word that I put kittens up for adoption and received an email for a money scam! Someone calling herself Daniella wanting me to send a pet for adoption to the UK! Who said she worked for a Christian Mission over there and had lost her own cat recently. She didn't ask for a kitten imparticular just whichever one I chose and she offered $50 extra for "taking care of the kitten since birth with such love". She also listed Billy Hamburg Pet Shippers Service (by way of an email address only)- I did check that out and there's no such service listed anywhere on the net. The shipper did contact me and,of course, it was his own business. They've had this stuff happen on other Pet sites (with;dogs,cats and various other pets) too.
Please don't think I ever would've shipped an 11 week old kitten to the UK , but I'm know some who have fallen for this desperately seeking homes for litters or beloved pets they cannot have anymore. I thought everyone might be able to help me spread the work out there. Cruelty is cruelty whether for money or whatever and I just thought everyone would like to know of this scam!
By the way, I have five cats of my own (Chandler,Sarina,Mabel,Petey and Tigger)! Also, I recently took in two stray mommies (Coco and Kiki- they're sisters) and let them have their kittens. The mommies will be fixed after the kittens are weaned and I will be finding homes for all of the kittens and the mothers after surgery. I have three kittens now (11 weeks old) and we're still awaiting the 2nd litter which should be any day now.

Kittie7
Jen

Sadly there are a lot of these types of scams going on the internet. Years ago I vowed to only give to the organizations that were close to me so I would be able to verify they were legit. We have had members burned over the year from people logging in here for the first time and posting heartwrenching stories about sick cats or kittens with websites included that are just as heart wrenching. Two years ago, one of our members fell for one of these ploys and donated $200.00 turned out to be a fraud.

Originally Posted by kittie7

I just wanted to put out the word that I put kittens up for adoption and received an email for a money scam!

Someone calling herself Daniella wanting me to send a pet for adoption to the UK! Who said she worked for a Christian Mission over there and had lost her own cat recently.

She didn't ask for a kitten imparticular

just whichever one I chose and she offered $50 extra for "taking care of the kitten since birth with such love". She also listed Billy Hamburg Pet Shippers Service (by way of an email address only)- I did check that out and there's no such service listed anywhere on the net. The shipper did contact me and,of course, it was his own business.

They've had this stuff happen on other Pet sites (with;dogs,cats and various other pets) too.
Please don't think I ever would've shipped an 11 week old kitten to the UK

, but I'm know some who have fallen for this desperately seeking homes for litters or beloved pets they cannot have anymore. I thought everyone might be able to help me spread the work out there. Cruelty is cruelty

whether for money or whatever and I just thought everyone would like to know of this scam!
By the way, I have five cats of my own (Chandler,Sarina,Mabel,Petey and Tigger)!

Also, I recently took in two stray mommies (Coco and Kiki- they're sisters) and let them have their kittens.

The mommies will be fixed after the kittens are weaned and I will be finding homes for all of the kittens and the mothers after surgery. I have three kittens now (11 weeks old) and we're still awaiting the 2nd litter which should be any day now.

Kittie7
Jen

Click to expand...

I just wanted to give you a good job commendation!! Everything you wrote above was just tried on my wife and I. Daniella however was living in Ontario Canada!! The shipper was the same. What a scam!!!!

Finding out about these scams is so upsetting & infuriating!! I am glad that you all are able to spread the word!! I just hope & pray that people protect the animals in their care, and have the wisdom to realize when they're being scammed! It sure hurts the legit businesses

Here is a copy of the email that was sent to my husband and I by "Daniela":

*** I want to adopt your pet as member of my family***
Hello....
I'm highly impressed to grant your pet a loving for-ever home.I wish
i re-homed the pet to my passionate garden (indoor & around the
garden only)here in ontario canada. I'm happily married and living
confortably. I'm usa citizen but currently in canada to accept a job
offer with the american christain ministries, i spent my quaterly
holidays in my house at Delray bearch FL. Recently, i lost my
adorable pet on our way going for his VET check. I want to adopt
yours in replace so that it'll minimise the pain and reduce the
tragedy in of my heart. I hope your pet is loving and cheering ? I'll
be responsible for the pick-up so all i need from you are as follows:
The pet name, mode of feedings, present condition, price, pictures if
available. I urge you to contact the pet shipper's company at
([email protected]) so that you can as well make
your intention known to them, because i've earlier informed them so
they might be the first to contact you. I have to leave no stone
unturned, as i'll forward you a "MO" or "cashier's check" drawn
direct throughtout the us banks as regards the payment for the pet,
to crown it all you're to be offer $50 as compensation of your
efforts for taking good care of the pet up till this moment that it
find a loving home. I'm mailing you to show my affectionate for the
pet and it must base on trust. So forward your datas to prepare the
payment. i.e
1- your name to issue the payment
2- contactš address
3- zipe code
4- tel phone number.
Treat this as matter of urgency and get back to me with all
informationswithin your knowledge.
Daniela & Dash

We almost fell for it! How scary. I am just a very very trusting person.

Have a great day!
Amy

That is SO scary! Thank you for posting this information!

These scams have been around for a long time. It's always someone in a foreign country, the English is always bad, and the letters sound pretty much like the one posted here.
I hope nobody falls for it.

What an evil, rotten thing to do.
Thanks for the warning.
Lei

looks like a 419 scam

I posted a cat for adoption on a couple of free sites. Here's one of the responses I got ...

*** I want to adopt your pet as part of my family ***
Hello Friend.
I'm very much interested in adopting your pet to my humble home as
acompanion. I'm us citizen. I live at delray beach FL, but presently
in ontario canada to accept a job offer with the american christain
missionary as a clerk. I'm happily married with a kid. I want to re-home your pet as part of my family. I lost my most adorable pet some couple of days ago on the way to the Vet clinic, the tragedy was so painful for me to bear
as a pet lover,so i need yours in replace to minimise the lost. I assure you
a 100% loving forever home for your pet and i want you to consider the
pet sold to a petlover. Pls, briefly tell me these: adoption fees,mode of
feeding, present health condition, breed, and pic if available. I have
a recommendable and reliable pet transporter that will come for the
pick-up right from your home. "means you don't need to drive the pet to any
where". So i urge you to contact the pet shipping company at
([email protected])I wait to hear back from you so that
i can inform my TRUSTEE in the state to issue out the payment in time.As for the payment, you have to forward your name,address and your phone number for payment. A certified "MO" will be issue on your behalf which'll cover the adoption fees + $50 as reward offer for the up bringing of the shipping fees. I wait to hear back from you at you earliest convinienttime.

Monsaw and dammy family cares for your pet.

It didn't end there cause I was stupid enough to think this was legit. I resonded that she would have to cover the re-location cost which a reputable site estimated at $500-$600. I received replies from both her and her "reputable" transporter which included the name "Billy Hamburg" that begged me to send my pet and repeated the $50 offer. I sent my regrets and started investigating which led me to this site.

I guess I don't get what the scammers are after ... just my personal information or what? Thanks for all the input tho. It helped a lot.

I suspect the way the scam works is "Daniella" sends the pet owner payment to cover the shipping. The pet owner pays "Billy" for the shipping out of his/her funds. "Daniella's" payment is rejected by the bank and the pet owner's payment to "Billy" is long gone.

It sounds to me like the scammers are after your pet (maybe to sell to a testing facility and make MORE money) WHILE they run off with your money. Good for you for not falling for it! Definitely meet the people you rehome to in person and get an interview, but it sounds like you already know that

Just makes me sick!

If any of you still have these emails in your inbox, you can forward them to me.

I have a close friend that knows how to track them down and have their isp ban them permanently (and possibly have authorities track them down).

The latest e-mail says now that they reluctantly agree to cover all the re-location expenses. I haven't responded yet but knowing now what a crock of scam this is, you can bet it will be ugly!

I have all the e-mails and I would love to help shut them down. Send me an e-mail at [email protected] and I will forward all of them to you.

I will email you asap

Originally Posted by kittie7

I just wanted to put out the word that I put kittens up for adoption and received an email for a money scam!

Someone calling herself Daniella wanting me to send a pet for adoption to the UK! Who said she worked for a Christian Mission over there and had lost her own cat recently.

She didn't ask for a kitten imparticular

just whichever one I chose and she offered $50 extra for "taking care of the kitten since birth with such love". She also listed Billy Hamburg Pet Shippers Service (by way of an email address only)- I did check that out and there's no such service listed anywhere on the net. The shipper did contact me and,of course, it was his own business.

They've had this stuff happen on other Pet sites (with;dogs,cats and various other pets) too.
Please don't think I ever would've shipped an 11 week old kitten to the UK

, but I'm know some who have fallen for this desperately seeking homes for litters or beloved pets they cannot have anymore. I thought everyone might be able to help me spread the work out there. Cruelty is cruelty

whether for money or whatever and I just thought everyone would like to know of this scam!
By the way, I have five cats of my own (Chandler,Sarina,Mabel,Petey and Tigger)!

Also, I recently took in two stray mommies (Coco and Kiki- they're sisters) and let them have their kittens.

The mommies will be fixed after the kittens are weaned and I will be finding homes for all of the kittens and the mothers after surgery. I have three kittens now (11 weeks old) and we're still awaiting the 2nd litter which should be any day now.

Kittie7
Jen

Click to expand...

I got that same email! So did my friend! Did you post your ad on petfinder?

I posted my cat for adoption on both petfinders.com and domesticsale.com.

I received several suspicious e-mails including the one I posted about on here. One that sounded similar was from a guy who said his name is Rainbow Thomas and he lives in Ohio. He offered the services of his pet transporter and said their rep, Mr. Beson Roy, would pick up the pet. I'm so gun shy now that I didn't even reply to this for fear of it being another scam. Do these names sound familar to any of you out there??

Guys you should really take this to PM now.


Thanks!

We only adopt to people we can meet in person. Saves a lot of grief that way!