I conducted a search for “Belgian Malinois Puppies” which led me to a sponsored listing at the top of the search results. Upon visiting the website, everything appeared legitimate for a personal breeder listing their puppies for sale. After filling out the contact form, I received a text the next day from someone identifying themselves as Ginger Ann (whose name alternated between Ginger Ann and Ann Ginger throughout our communications). They provided details about the puppy and asked if I was ready to proceed. Eager to finalize the transaction, I opted to pay via Zelle, among other payment options they offered including PayPal, Cashapp, and Apple Pay.

I was assured that the puppy would be shipped the following business day and would arrive by 5 PM. When I inquired about additional travel expenses due to my location being 2.5 hours away from the nearest major airport, I was informed of an extra $250 fee on top of the initial $250 shipping charge. After some negotiation, we settled on $175, bringing the total to $1125. I proceeded with the payment.

That evening, while preparing for the puppy’s arrival by purchasing supplies at the pet store, I stumbled upon a comment on their Facebook page from someone claiming to have been scammed by the same company. My heart sank as I hoped it was merely a misunderstanding that had been resolved, but further research revealed multiple scam reports, including a CBS Television Report documenting instances where individuals were sent to a fake address after being scammed.

The next day came and went with no sign of the promised dog, and to this day, I have yet to receive it. I promptly reported the incident to my bank, but they informed me that I am unable to recover the funds. Subsequently, I reported the scam to the FBI’s Cyber Crimes division, added my story to the other various scam reporting sites, and created this website.