Page 16 - NBY-Nov2020

“PET SCAMS DURING PANDEMIC” BRIDGE BITES
Bridge Bites is sponsored by the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL). ACBL’s
By Dr.Sherry McCoy, PhD • $700 is the average amount of Marketing Director, Vicki Campbell promotes Bridge Bites in the United States and
Stop Senior Scams! Acting Program* Canada. NBY! provides a way to reach the bridge players of Southern California. It
money lost, per pet scam. encourages participation in duplicate bridge. There are dozens of bridge clubs in the
• According to the BBB Risk Index*, area and they welcome players of every skill and experience level- many provide
Stop Senior pet scams are now considered to lessons for newcomers to the game. Enjoy a engaging, stimulating game in a friendly
Scams from be the riskiest scam. and social environment somewhere close by.
Happening • “Of those targeted for a pet scam, Visit www.acbl.org and search the Club Directory to find a group near you.
70% end up losing money.”
And finally, pet scams are also one of
the most emotionally devastating and
heart-breaking scams out there.
Essentially, all scammers are selling lies.
“PET SCAMS DURING THE It’s just that the lies they use to sell you a
WORLDWIDE PANDEMIC” non-existent pet are particularly
Welcome to November of 2020! It’s hard egregious.
to believe, but this year is almost over.
Should we thank our lucky stars and say If you are looking for a new pet online,
hallelujah!? Maybe. I think it goes without here are some tips from the Federal Trade
saying that 2020 has been one of the most Commission (FTC) to help you steer clear
challenging years of our lives. Because of of fraud (3):
the pandemic, most seniors have been • Work with legitimate local
“staying safer at home” since mid-March. animal shelters or rescue leagues to adopt
That means that many of us have been a pet – Most legitimate animal shelters
home alone for the past 7+ months, and rescue leagues post their adoption
separated from our sons and daughters, fees online and will not stick you with
our grandchildren, and our friends. Yes, “surprise” charges down the line. Also, if
there’s Zoom for those of us who are you work with a local animal shelter, you
courageous enough to venture into the might not have to pay any adoption fees
world of online video technology, but it’s until you go to pick up your new pet.
a poor substitute for face-to-face, This is in stark contrast to scammers who
meaningful interactions with loved ones. usually want you to pay fees up front, and
Long gone are the days when you could then other “surprise” charges later – all
leisurely stroll to the senior center, or for a non-existent pet. For referrals to
your favorite coffee shop, and spend a few local, authentic animal shelters, contact
hours shooting the breeze with your close the Humane Society of the United States at
friends over cups of coffee and perhaps a https://www.humanesociety.org/
chocolate croissant, or two. It’s downright resources/adopting-animal-shelter-or-
depressing! As a result, many seniors are rescue-group
suffering from increased anxiety and a •
kind of desperate loneliness brought on by Do your homework – If you’re
this extended, but necessary isolation. interested in getting a particular breed of
How best to cope with it all? Many older a cat or dog, find out all you can about
local breeders – location, phone number,
adults have made it their business to get a
pet as a companion animal. Spending time reliability, etc. Then research online to see
with a furry friend can make all the what other people are saying about their
difference in the world right now. So, it is experiences with that breeder. If the word
no surprise that pet sales are a booming “scam” pops up, beware. For tips on how
to find a reputable breeder, check out
business during this pandemic!
what the Humane Society has to say –
https://www.humanesociety.org/ report scams to the Federal Trade
But, sadly, it is also not a surprise that Commission at 877-382-4357 or online at
scammers — true to their nefarious nature resources/how-find-responsible-dog- https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov/ (1) “Pet Scams on the Rise as Adoptions
— have upped their game this year breeder #crnt&panel1-1. And then — Pass It On! Skyrocket Amid Pandemic,” Jeff Ehling,
regarding pet scams, i.e., selling pets that • • • • • Don’t pay for the pet with gift If you have questions about Medicare September 18, 2020,
don’t exist.(1) A common ploy scammers cards or wire money – If someone wants fraud / abuse or believe you have been https://abc13.com/puppy-scam-online-
use to reel us in to their bogus pet sales you to buy a pet online using gift cards or the victim of Medicare fraud, please pet-buying-better-business-bureau-a-dog-
schemes, is to say the pet is yours for asks you to wire money, it most likely is a contact the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) or-cat/6437411/
“free!”, and all you have to do is pay the scam. Using gift cards and wire transfers at 1-855-613-7080. For more info
shipping fee. So, you pay the con artists a is the same as buying with cash. If there’s regarding California SMP, go to (2) “BBB Warning: Puppy Scam Reports
hefty shipping fee, and in return you get a problem, you’re unlikely to get your www.cahealthadvocates.org. Contact the Skyrocket During COVID-19 Pandemic,”
… nothing. What kind of a deal is that?! money back. Los Angeles County District Attorney’s August 26, 2020, https://www.bbb.org/
Remember – If it sounds too good to be • Search online for the image of office online at http://da.lacounty.gov/ article/news-releases/22363-is-that-
true, it probably is! the pet you’re interested in – Fraudsters quarantine-puppy-real-puppy-scam-
often use the same stock photos of pets on / or phone (213) 974-3512. reports-skyrocket-during-covid-19-
According to a report from the Better different websites. If you search online *For more information about how the pandemic-bbb-warns
Business Bureau (BBB) in late August of and find the same photo of the pet you’re BBB Risk Index is calculated and what it
this year (2), pet scams have skyrocketed interested in, that’s a pretty good clue that means, see page 10 of “New Risks and (3) “Finding a furry friend in the era of
to more than 3 times the amount reported it’s a scam! Emerging Technologies: 2019 BBB Scam COVID-19,” Namukolo Kasumpa, May 20,
to the BBB Scam Tracker in previous years. Tracker Risk Report” — https:// 2020, https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/
Further in their report, the BBB indicates If you believe you have been the victim www.bbb.org/globalassets/local-bbbs/ blog/2020/05/finding-furry-friend-era-
— or the target of a pet scam, report it to the council-113/media/bbb-institute/ covid-19
• 24% of reported online scams are BBB Scam Tracker at https:// riskreport2019/2019-scamtracker- Continued on page 17
pet scams. www.bbb.org/scamtracker. You may also riskreport-final.pdf

16 November 2020