International dog scammers strike West Michigan

Tiffany Austin went online from her Kalamazoo home looking for a pet for her 5-year-old daughter whose dog had disappeared from their yard.

[Dog Lover]

First of all, why would you send a stranger $750? Second, there are hundreds of dogs in shelters who deserve loving homes. Save $600 and adopt a dog from a shelter or rescue and save a life.

[Pam]

Jeepers, when will people learn. Send me some money since there;s so much to throw around! Brains are what are lacked.

[Ryan]

My mom was almost scammed the same way, except this ad was in the GR Press.. way back in the fall. He replied with a form e-mail.

[CCC]

When there is already hundreds in shelters and rescues? Sounds like she deserved what she got...

[Rosemary]

Even poorly bred Bulldog pups are going for around $2000. You should always do transactions in person. See the puppies parents or at least the mother. Many puppymillers sell pups on the internet; you might get a puppy....however it can be poorly bred. A reputable breeder is very concerned where their puppies go. They also stand behind them for the life of the dog. There are pups in shelters and rescues that need homes badly. Try http://www.petfinder.com
Many shelter/rescue dogs are purebreds.

[word in edgewise]

I can't beleive the scammed's foolishness. Send the checks to me. I will send you a pup for $350.00 I promise. Just alert me to your interest.

[Libby]

It's hard to believe anyone is that naive. Most people don't know that the initial purchase price is nothing compared to what a dog costs to maintain over it's lifetime:
http://www.bluecollardollar.com/funding_fido....

[kittykat]

Please people, stop buying from breeders--legal or otherwise!!! Visit a shelter. Perfectly good dogs (very loving at that) are destroyed every single day for no reason except that there is no room for them all. Save a life and teach your kid an important lesson at the same time. Kids and pets don't care how much the animal costs and shelter dogs will love you like no other!

[yeppers]

I am sorry-but use some common sense!!!!!

[dawn of vicksburg]

this happened to me last summer of 2007 and the information was from nigeria, or so i thought. i had not fallen to his prey, and sorry that tiffany austin had. later on that summer, i found other articles in the kalamazoo gazette stating same kind of info for puppies for sale and it was linked to, i believe, somewhere in the southern states.

[auntnana]

we got our dog from a breed but i get hes number from the gr press and talk to him on the phone and went to his house few days latter to get the dog..if u are to get a dog from a breeder ask question scope out the living inverment that the dog is in ..ask to see the mom and dad if they are avaible to see..that way u get the dog that u are paying for..not just some dog that they pick up from the shelter and selling it..i did get to see the mom she was on sight and the father was not their but their was a picture..

[Lois]

People would be amazed at the number of GOOD dogs euthanized each year. Do some research into the numbers in your own county and do the math. It is heartbreaking.

[OMG]

The first thing that came to my mind when I heard it on the news last night was STUPID! If I were her, I would be too embarassed to show my face and admit to my stupidity. And why do people think they have to spend hundreds of dollars on a purebred animal? Like everyone else said, there are plent of dogs in shelters who need homes.

[sjr]

Last year my son was selling his puppies through puppy find .com. He had a person send him a fake money order for $600.00 fir a puppy. My son was lucky he did not send out the puppy he took the money order to the bank and the teller at the bank knew it was fake. Best advise be careful know who you are selling to as well as from.

[Sum Cracker]

Dog Lover wrote:

First of all, why would you send a stranger $750?

I think they were food stamps

[Al Jolson]

OMG wrote:

The first thing that came to my mind when I heard it on the news last night was STUPID! If I were her, I would be too embarassed to show my face and admit to my stupidity.

Please, we are the same folks that don't work, can't get a job, and have no shame in coming out in droves for anything labeled as "free". When we are living off you, do you really think we care what you think? Just keep working and paying your taxes whitey and we will take care of spending your money.

[Jody in Holland]

I honestly agree with most of the posts on here. Wheres your brains? I wish I had that kinda money to be throwing away. Smart people just dont throw money at strangers & expect something back! I agree with going to the Shelters too. So many beautiful loving animals there that need good homes. I can never see paying that much for a dog anyways. I had alot of mixed breed dogs growing up & they were really smart. Im really hoping that you learned a lesson from all this.

[Suehelen]

I'll just chime in here and agree with most of the other posts.

This is ridiculous and I don't feel one bit sorry for this woman. There are good dogs in shelters just waiting for a good home. Who in their right mind spends that amount of money on a dog for pete's sake???

[Tom]

The headkine is misleading, makes it sound like they're going door to door or something, or like they targeted west michigan.
"Mamma says stupid is as stupid does"

[GR Mich]

What a person wants to spend on their dog is their own choice, just like if someone wants to own a fancy car and if they have the money so be it.
I have a Newfoundland at home that I spent a pretty penny for, but I also have a shelter dog and would like to get another shelter dog.