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Basil A. Mummery, a Canadian businessman who lives in Ontario, collected thousands of dollars each from eager buyers who responded to his ads on a site called tiny-teacups.com, police in Wayne said.
Then he shut it down.
Wayne detectives who investigated after a township resident got scammed learned of other victims in several states, including Louisiana and South Carolina.
“Victims wired thousands of dollars to him but never received a puppy,” Detective Capt. Dan Daly said. “Eventually, contact was cut off.”
Should Mummery ever set foot in the U.S. and be arrested, complaint summonses issued by police are waiting for him in Wayne and several other locations throughout the country.
Authorities say at least 80% of sponsored ad links for pet breeders are bogus. Online pet scammers also tend to target people in their late teens or 20s, they warn.
If you must buy online and not directly, here are the ways you can avoid being taken:
- Don’t buy on impulse – check out the seller and the available dog nine ways to Sunday;
- Don’t buy a Yorkie under 10 weeks old; a reputable breeder wouldn’t sell one (they're too young to be shipped);
- Although no breeder can guarantee a puppy’s size, the reputable sellers will talk about estimated size and not use words such as “teacup” or “micro”;
- Request a positive form of breeder identification with a photo that shows who that person is and the business that he or she is operating;
- Do separate online searches for the breeder’s name, business name and phone number;
- Watch out for bogus phone numbers (Google Voice allows those with any area code). Reputable breeders answer their own phones;
- Pay close attention to Yelp! reviews and ripoff reports;
- Ask other people whom you know and trust to help you check the breeder out;
- Insist on either face-timing with the breeder and the puppy you’re interested in or be given a photo of the breeder holding the puppy and a random item of your choice (seriously: it makes sense);
- Doesn’t hurt to also ask for photos of the pup’s parents;
- Take time to know the breeder: Ask questions, make conversation. A reputable breeder wants to find his or her puppy a good home, while a con artist is just trying to get your money as quickly as possible;
- Monitor the breeder’s Facebook, Instagram or Twitter page to see whether it’s being constantly updated;
- Ask what vaccines the puppy has received and at what age;
- Be absolutely sure to speak directly with the puppy’s vet. Ask about general health but also possible genetic issues (REMEMBER: A vet must check out any dog going on a plane) and how the vet feels about the breeder;
- Also make sure you have all guarantees, contracts and papers written into the purchasing agreement, including what recourse you have if you get a puppy with an undisclosed pre-existing condition or genetic issues.
Keep in mind that it’s a scam if the seller promises delivery in under 24 hours. Takes much longer for a checkup and flight arrangements.
And be sure to immediately end contact if the seller asks for payment through Western Union or money order. Those are all scams -- and none of that money is recoverable. Use PayPal or a credit card.
If you’ve gotten this far: The very first thing you should do upon receipt is bring your Yorkie to your vet – as in: immediately – especially if you already have a dog.
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