Scammers Taking Advantage of Lonely People Stuck at Home

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Scammers are finding new ways to take advantage of lonely people amid the pandemic.

Some consumers have turned to the internet to look for a pet amid stay-at-home orders, but what they’ve found is a number of scams.

The scammers start out quite polite but then they hit customers up for one expense after another.

“They'll need money for special crates, they'll need money for a special insurance, they’ll even claim there is money needed for vaccines and it's always done in a step by step process,” she said.

People wire the money – and then find their hard-earned cash is gone with nothing in return.

Puppy scams, such as this, were the topic of a 2017 in-depth investigative study by BBB, and they are prolific during the holidays.

Rosenzweig recommends people who really want an animal contact the Humane Society or a reputable shelter. 

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