Pet travel scams often involve emails with broken English, as scammers typically operate from overseas. Be wary of poor grammar and spelling errors in their communications. They solicit extensive personal information from you but withhold their own details such as names, addresses, or phone numbers. They may create a sympathetic backstory, claiming to be a married couple facing hardship, or posing as missionaries from another country.

These scammers commonly advertise high-demand pets like full-breed puppies, particularly English bulldogs, Yorkies, Chihuahuas, Pugs, Pitbulls, golden retrievers, Labradors, and sometimes birds. They promise to arrange shipment through a supposed pet shipper and pressure you to act quickly with emotional pleas, citing fabricated urgency to send payment via methods like Western Union.

It’s important to remain vigilant and verify the legitimacy of any pet purchase or adoption offers to avoid falling victim to these deceptive practices.