What Happened
The Federal Trade Commission issued a consumer alert on June 24, 2026, warning about a surge in pet-related scams. Scammers are stealing legitimate pet photos and videos from social media and websites, manipulating them, and sometimes using AI to create deepfakes—entirely synthetic videos that look convincing enough to pass as real animals.
The scheme works like this: A scammer finds a cute puppy photo online. They steal it. They use that photo or create AI-generated versions to list a "dog for sale." They contact potential buyers through social media, text, or email. They pressure victims to send money upfront, claiming to need payment for shipping, vaccines, or adoption fees. The victim sends money. No dog arrives. The scammer disappears.
Sometimes the scammer goes further, using AI video deepfakes to send "proof" that the dog is real and being cared for while waiting for shipping. By that point, the victim has already invested emotionally and financially in the idea of getting the pet.
Why This Matters
Pet scams target one of the most reliable human vulnerabilities: the desire to have a cute animal. People will spend money they shouldn't spend and lower their critical-thinking guard when a puppy is involved. Scammers know this.
The addition of AI to pet scams is particularly pernicious. Previously, scammers had to find real photos of real animals. Now they can generate completely convincing fake animals that never existed. A victim can't call the original owner of the photo because the photo was never of a real dog in the first place.
The FTC estimates consumers lose millions of dollars every year to pet scams alone. Add in the fact that people are literally grieving—they thought they had a dog coming, and now they don't—and you've got a scam that damages people financially and emotionally.
Red Flags the FTC Lists
The FTC warns to be suspicious of:
- Sellers who only communicate through social media, text, or email—never in person or by video call
- Requests for payment upfront, especially by wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency
- Prices that are suspiciously low compared to legitimate breeders
- Refusal to meet in person or do a video call before payment
- Stock photos or images that appear on multiple seller listings
- Requests for payment to cover "shipping," "insurance," "veterinary exams," or other upfront fees
How Victims Can Protect Themselves
The FTC recommends:
- Buy from established, reputable breeders or adoption agencies, not random sellers online
- Meet the animal and seller in person before handing over money
- Never wire money, send gift cards, or use cryptocurrency for pet purchases
- Use credit cards when possible—they offer more fraud protection
- Reverse-image-search photos on Google to see if they appear elsewhere online
- Research the seller's reputation with local animal welfare organizations
Report It
If you encounter a pet scam, report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. Also report fake listings to whatever platform they were posted on.
Sources
FTC: Animal lovers: learn to spot and avoid this breed of pet scams