[At-Large] Puppy Scams: How Fake Online Pet Sellers Steal From Unsuspecting Pet Buyers

[Derek Smythe]

Worthwhile reading.
https://www.bbb.org/puppyscamstudy/

Central to this is domain abuse, mostly using proxy registrations or
fake registration details.

In a nutshell, it's domain abuse out of control that has destroyed
much on the legitimate online pet industry, where the long-standing
perpetrators use bullet-proof hosting to ensure they can defraud
consumers.

A red flag, as mentioned in this report:
> the two are alleged to have also offered to sell illegal identification documents such as passports, and also medications, prescription drugs, automobiles and chemicals.

Not mentioned is extortion and credit card theft.

This is all part of a fast growing problem that spans consumer to
business level threats, separate from traditional 419 fraud, even
resulting in a DEA alert at:
https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/pressreleases/extortion_scam.htm

Regards,

Derek Smythe
Artists Against 419
http://www.aa419.org