(HALDIMAND COUNTY, ON) – The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Haldimand County Detachment investigated a fraud after being contacted by concerned resident at a Hutchinson Road, Haldimand County, Ontario address.
On Monday, May 16, 2016 at approximately 12:04 p.m., police spoke to a resident reporting a fraud. It was determined that the resident located an ad on a website for a Belgian Malinois that was for sale. Communication was established at which time the seller of the animal advised that they were currently in New Orleans, and was looking for a buyer for their animal.
A price for the animal was negotiated and funds were subsequently sent through the use of a money wiring service. The funds sent were to cover the costs of transporting the animal along with the necessary insurance required which totalled $750 dollars however the animal never arrived.
Some scam artists use stolen photos in their ads, claiming they are pictures of animals for sale. Actually, the seller does not have the animals that he/she is trying to sell. The seller will ask for money in advance and refer the unsuspecting person to a money wiring service. The buyer is then continually asked for additional funds to cover insurance, transport costs as well as fees incurred for veterinarian visits. The buyer will wait for few days and when they do not receive the animal, attempt to contact the seller, receiving no answer.
In order to avoid these types of scams, remember the following general words of advice:
Know whom you are dealing with – independently confirm your seller’s name, street, address, and telephone number.
Resist pressure to “act now.” If an offer sounds too good to be true it usually is.
If the buyer wants to use a service you have not heard of, be sure to check it out to be sure it is reliable – check its Web site, call its customer service hotline, and read its terms of agreement and privacy policy. If you do not feel comfortable with the service, do not use it.
NEVER wire money or use a bank-to-bank transfer in a transaction.
ALWAYS try to deal locally when buying or selling an animal or other high-value merchandise item.
DO NOT sell or buy an animal from someone who is unable or unwilling to meet you face to face.
NEVER buy an animal that you have not seen in real life.
“The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) Haldimand County Detachment continues to receive reports from residents stating they have been or attempted to be defrauded. Don’t be a victim. Fraud is a multi-billion dollar enterprise that will only stop when the scammers stop getting money, banking information or personal information.” comments Inspector Phil Carter, Haldimand County OPP Detachment Commander.
FRAUD – RECOGNIZE IT….REPORT IT….STOP IT….
For more information on fraud, call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501 or http://www.antifraudcentre.ca.