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Original poster

Dog deposit

34 replies

Rosee26 · 10/03/2021 12:14

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Dog deposit1
Today 10:37Rosee26

Hi i need some advice on a deposit we've just put down on a dog, we met the breeder over two weeks ago and the pups were 2 weeks old, we met at her house, held the pups chatted for about a hour and fell in love with one! The owner was very nice, met mum and dad dogs, she answered all our questions, said we can contact any time and would send pictures and things over, she said we could pop up again in a few weeks and leave a blanket to get mums scent on ready for when our puppy comes home at 8 weeks.
She spoke about how there's alot of dog scamming going on lately and how she would never do that. We left a cash deposit of £300 and she sent a text while there stating the amount we left and for which dog.
So i messaged on sunday, 4 days ago asking if a certain date in 2 weeks time is OK to bring the blanket and how is the puppy doing, can you send some pictures?
No reply, we've since rang a couple of times and no answer, one of the times was of a number she wouldn't recognize but still no answer.
Im now concerned we've been scammed, my husband doesn't think we have as surely she wouldn't of invited us to her house otherwise? Does anyone think its likely that we have with her no contact? I won't do anything just yet in case she does end up being genuine but going forward is anything likely to happen if i do contact the non emergency police or make a small claims court claim.
I no some people will say just write it off as a lesson learned but £300 is alot of Money and i do think she should have some kind of punishment if she is a scammer or she will just continue to keep doing it? Thank you.

OP posts:
XiCi · 10/03/2021 12:22

It was only a few days ago, she could be ill or suchlike. I'd be definitely going down to the house though if it went on much longer

Birthdayaghh · 10/03/2021 12:26

Did you get a receipt for your deposit?
How far away is the house? I’d be tempted to pop round

Original poster
Rosee26 · 10/03/2021 12:47

I assumed the text she sent confirming the deposit would be classed as a receipt but now thinking it probably isn't? Its our first time buying anything like this, she lives about a hour away so it is possible to go there but i tend to overthink things so wernt sure if that was to extreme and I'm just overreacting as like the first poster commented it had only been 4 days, i just don't no what to do further down the line

OP posts:
Sitdowncupoftea · 10/03/2021 14:13

Could you call at her house.

LongTimeMammaBear · 10/03/2021 14:16

How did you find the breeder? Are they registered breeders?

sunflowersandbuttercups · 10/03/2021 14:28

Where did you find the breeder?

It sounds dodgy as fuck to me - especially taking a deposit with no receipt or anything like that. We got a written receipt with ours, and the breeder was in touch daily from when the pups were born and responded very quickly to any questions or enquiries we had.

Original poster
Rosee26 · 10/03/2021 16:10

We found her on gumtree, feel such a knob now 😫 just why would she invite us to her house if she was intending to scam us! The text she sent confirming our deposit can't be classed as a receipt i take it?

OP posts:
Solomon1212 · 10/03/2021 16:14

I used to breed working dogs and theres alot of this.
They stage a family home (usually rented) and invite you to see the pups at their home (which isnt really their home). They then go leaving you with no trace.
Contact trading standards as they may be able to trace it. There are also pages on fb like C.A.R.I.A.D which may be worth contacting.

sunflowersandbuttercups · 10/03/2021 16:25

@Rosee26

We found her on gumtree, feel such a knob now 😫 just why would she invite us to her house if she was intending to scam us! The text she sent confirming our deposit can't be classed as a receipt i take it?
She invited you to "her" house because it probably wasn't her house to start with. These people are scam artists.

Many rent a house (easily paid for with a few deposits), and stage it as a nice family home. Unsuspecting people turn up, fall for the cute puppies, pay a deposit and then the "breeder" disappears without a trace - off to scam the next unsuspecting group of people.

I suspect the phone number was probably a burner phone so you'll have no real way of tracing her. The house is probably paid for by cash using a fake name, or it's a friends' house so no proof of the breeders' existence at all.

I'm sorry you got scammed, but in the future please don't go hunting for a pet on Gumtree.

sunflowersandbuttercups · 10/03/2021 16:26

She spoke about how there's alot of dog scamming going on lately and how she would never do that.

I missed this in the OP. Why would a genuine breeder even bring that up in conversation? They would have no need to even worry about something like that.

Scoobydoobydoo · 10/03/2021 16:31

@Rosee26

Did you pash cash? If you did a bank transfer or paid by card maybe you could contact the bank if things indeed turn out to be fraudulent.

sunflowersandbuttercups · 10/03/2021 16:34

[quote Scoobydoobydoo]@Rosee26

Did you pash cash? If you did a bank transfer or paid by card maybe you could contact the bank if things indeed turn out to be fraudulent.[/quote]
It's in the OP that she paid cash unfortunately Sad

Original poster
Rosee26 · 10/03/2021 16:38

I have joined that page thank you.

OP posts:
Original poster
Rosee26 · 10/03/2021 16:39

At the time i just assumed she mentioned that because there has been alot of dog scamming since lockdown and then went onto dog stealing with has also increased, so it just seemed like a general conversation about things that are happening right now

OP posts:
sunflowersandbuttercups · 10/03/2021 16:41

I suspect you've learned an expensive lesson here.

I doubt you'll hear from her again.

UhtredRagnarson · 10/03/2021 16:44

Go to the house and see if anyone is there.

Original poster
Rosee26 · 10/03/2021 16:44

In relation to it not being her house and trying to paint the perfect family home.. The home was a dive, we was greeted with 'mind the mess were decorating' mess was everywhere, it seemed very run down rather down the good family home but i try not to judge because I've moved into a few homes that needed alot of work and felt embarrassed having strangers come into me home, in this case maybe i should have judged more! I have considered that maybe she was moving in general and knew she would be gone before the puppys were ready to be homed

OP posts:
Claudia84 · 10/03/2021 16:46

Gutted for you. She does sound like a con artist.

Please, next time, avoid Pets4Homes, gumtree, Facebook, pre-loved - basically anything that isn’t a breeder on recommendation or a rescue, or you can usually find breeders on champdogs or recommended by kennel club or even the breed organisations themselves.
Does mean it’s harder to get a cross breed, but much more likely to have a good experience next time.

Original poster
Rosee26 · 10/03/2021 16:46

I think I was blindsighted By love for the pup 🙈🙈

OP posts:
RunningFromInsanity · 10/03/2021 16:47

We can all catastrophise that you’ve been scammed but unless you go round, we won’t know.

Claudia84 · 10/03/2021 16:47

@Rosee26

In relation to it not being her house and trying to paint the perfect family home.. The home was a dive, we was greeted with 'mind the mess were decorating' mess was everywhere, it seemed very run down rather down the good family home but i try not to judge because I've moved into a few homes that needed alot of work and felt embarrassed having strangers come into me home, in this case maybe i should have judged more! I have considered that maybe she was moving in general and knew she would be gone before the puppys were ready to be homed
I wonder whether it’s a bit of an ‘operation’ and is used for a few different things?
Suzi888 · 10/03/2021 16:47

I paid a cash deposit for my dog years ago, no receipt and the house was rented.
She moved afterwards and was no contact to the authorities as she had ruined the house. It was through kennel club too....
I’d never buy from a breeder again!

sunflowersandbuttercups · 10/03/2021 16:48

@Rosee26

In relation to it not being her house and trying to paint the perfect family home.. The home was a dive, we was greeted with 'mind the mess were decorating' mess was everywhere, it seemed very run down rather down the good family home but i try not to judge because I've moved into a few homes that needed alot of work and felt embarrassed having strangers come into me home, in this case maybe i should have judged more! I have considered that maybe she was moving in general and knew she would be gone before the puppys were ready to be homed
What were the conditions like where the puppies were being kept if the house was "a dive"?
Claudia84 · 10/03/2021 16:50

If she is there and you do go ahead just be really hot on a few things. When she tells you about vaccinations and vet checks before they go you need to ask her what was the vet and ring up to check. If she is legit and as she says worried about scams she’ll be more than happy that you’re a responsible buyer. You can also then check that they have actually been chipped as well.

Wolfiefan · 10/03/2021 16:52

Decent breeders don’t advertise on gumtree. Rescue or go via the breed club if you want pedigree.