Puppy Scam Red Flags: How to Check an Online Advert

A polished advert does not prove that a puppy exists or that the advertiser bred it. Treat every claim as something to verify independently, especially before paying a deposit.

Search the advert, photographs and phone number

Search a distinctive sentence from the description and the seller's phone number. Use reverse-image search on the puppy photographs. Reused copy, unrelated breeds under one number or the same image in distant locations can indicate copied or misleading adverts.

Be cautious about urgency and remote-only contact

Pressure to pay immediately, claims that many other buyers are waiting, refusal to speak live, and changing explanations about the puppy's location are warning signs. A video call can help, but it does not replace visiting the puppy where it was raised.

Verify documents with the issuer

Do not rely on a photograph of a licence, certificate or health result. Ask for the identifying number and contact the council, database, veterinary practice or testing body through contact details you find independently. Make sure the name on the record matches the seller.

Watch for unsafe handover and payment requests

Do not accept a meeting at a motorway service station, car park or other location that prevents you seeing where the puppy was raised. Avoid untraceable payment methods. The RSPCA recommends visiting the puppy at home, seeing it with its mother and not paying cash.

What to do when something feels wrong

Stop the transaction and preserve the advert, messages, payment details and documents. Report the advert to the platform and use the official reporting route for the relevant country. Walking away can protect both you and the animals behind a suspicious listing.

Do not use a photograph as proof of identity

Keep the advert and ask to verify the puppy's identity, actual location and original records in person. Copied pictures, unexplained changes of contact details or pressure to pay before a visit should prompt caution. A video call can help with research but is not equivalent to a proper visit or document verification.

Pause when the written agreement does not match

Check the named seller, puppy identifier, price, deposit terms and agreed handover. If records are missing or payment instructions change, stop and clarify before sending money. If you suspect fraud, preserve messages and payment evidence and contact your payment provider and the appropriate local reporting authority promptly.