May. 30, 2007 - How much is that doggie in the window?

Good Morning America has the story this morning.  It was on NPR last night as I was driving home from the office.  The latest internet scam (also known as  419 scams, advance pay scams or Nigerian scams) is puppies! 

Internet "windows" or any browser you choose to use allows scammers to reach out and pick your pocket with a too good to be true price on a pure bred dog.  Or a story of a puppy who needs YOUR help.

According to the Seattle Times yesterday English bulldogs were the prime breed for sale but there is no dog.  No matter what the breed advertised there is no dog.  No matter how much money is forwarded you don't get a dog.   As real estate we agents get our own peculiar type of Nigerian emails offering  something for nothing... find me a property,  just give me your account numbers and I will pour in my riches.  I personally heard from a "Nigerian Senator" last week.  He wanted to move here to Columbus, but "the senator" ... "Senator Bob" also wanted to move to Denver.   Denver must have won out over Columbus Ohio.....

A few of us were playing out in our Worthington Ohio office backyard yesterday with a couple of neighbor dogs, "Popcorn" a bichon and "Linus" a comical, floppy eared, long tailed boxer mix... We talked about dogs, dog rescue, dog shelters, puppies, Doberman Pinschers, miniature dachshunds, mutts, bichon's,  mixes, poodles, pitt bulls and more. 

Linus was adopted from the Franklin County Dog Shelter.  This Sunday is Frankllin County Dog Shelter's Mingle With Our Mutts on Sunday, June 3 ~ Noon-2 pm.     Leaving the office to drive home to my dog I heard the story on the radio about the latest scams.  Puppies. 

Not even officially summer... the Dog Days of Summer starts around the fourth of July... but I think that represents a bulldog... There are links to the dog shelter, rescue groups and the Capital Area Humane Society on my Columbus K9 page on the MaureenMcCabe.com website Reputable local breeders or local rescue groups are the way to find a dog in my opinion.  Rescue a Central Ohio dog!

Taking a cue from child predators that use the story of a lost dog with children the scammers use stories of dogs that need help to get people to send money.  There is no dog. 

Copyright 2007 Discover Columbus and Maureen McCabe

Jun. 1, 2007 - re: How much is that doggie in the window?

Thanks for the info.  That is one we haven't received yet.  We've gotten plenty of the others, along with people evidently sending things from out e-mail address.  We get the ones back that are not deliverable.  I have again forwarded that e-mail to earthling.

We are dog lovers.  We have a pomeranian with a lion haircut, who thinks he is one.  He lets us live in his house.  He loves to go and show houses, even if he has to guard the car while we're in the house.

3 R P H K 2

Jun. 3, 2007 - re: How much is that doggie in the window?

Thanks for posting this.  It seems that scammers never run out of creativity in perpetuating their nefarious schemes.

Jun. 4, 2007 - re: How much is that doggie in the window?

Sally and John,  So far I don't think this scam is via email.  They post ads online and maybe even in real papers to snag the dog lovers.  Your dog is cute. 

Lola:  I wonder what they will come up with next.