Lorraine Lyons warns Wagga residents after falling for $1800 puppy scam

Last month, Lorraine Lyons transferred $1800 to someone she believed to be an interstate-based Australian Shepherds breeder.

The dog was meant to be a gift for her granddaughter Nyekya Charles, 12, who lives with cerebral palsy and has major spinal surgery lined up for next month.

As soon as the money had been sent, the "breeder" stopped responding to messages and emails, leaving Mrs Lyons anxious and regretting her decision.

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But it was not until a few days later, when someone claiming to be a courier called her requesting another $6000 to safely transport the puppy, that she realised it didn't actually exist.

"It all looked so genuine," Mrs Lyons said. "I really got a bit sad about it not because of the money but because of how deceitful they were."

The Daily Advertiser's attempts to contact those behind the website were unsuccessful.

The scam means Nyekya will miss out on receiving a puppy, something she'd been asking about for months.

Mrs Lyons considers herself relatively internet-savvy but admits she was blindsided by how cute the dog was and how friendly the breeder had been over the phone.

"The pictures of the puppies were just beautiful and the guy was really nice and pleasant and really good at talking," she said.

"I just am really worried about other people getting caught in the trap and actually giving even more money."

There was a major increase in pet scams across the country last year, with scammers taking advantage of residents yearning for furry companions during lockdowns.

According to Scamwatch, more than $2.5 million was lost to these operations over the course of 2021, compared to just $357,000 in 2019.

NSW Police advise people it is always best to meet with breeders in person and make the purchase then.

They urge residents to not be pressured into signing a contract or paying up front and to always research a company before making a purchase.

People can search registered and licensed breeders on www.dogsnsw.org.au.

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