How much is that doggy in the window? If the window in question is a screen showing a social media site, then prospective pet owners would do well to remove their nose from the glass and pause before parting with any money to secure that Pomeranian – because there’s a good chance it doesn’t exist.
That's the warning from Lloyds Bank, which says new research it has put together shows that people are losing an average £307 to pet scams – with more than 50% of scams originating on Facebook and Instagram.
The most common tactic used by fraudsters, Lloyds said, is fake adverts posted on Facebook or Instagram, where the potential pet simply doesn’t exist. Scammers keep tabs on which breeds are in high demand, taking photos from the internet and sharing ficticious information about the animal – such as parentage or medical information – to create the illusion of authenticity.
