You are here: Home » Archives for Pedigree Kitten Scams
Tag: Pedigree Kitten Scams
Pedigree Kitten/Cat Scams
Kittycat |
April 26, 2014
Before we go into more detail regarding these scams and scammers we would like to start by saying if you are not particular on a breed of cat, did you know that there are many animal shelters in all cities that have cats and kittens up for adoption?
The scam
Scammers use the name and cattery name of registered breeders, create credible-looking email addresses and market kittens at prices maybe slightly below the going rate for the particular breed, but often with exorbitant shipping fees. Of course the kittens do not exist and once payment has been received, the ‘breeder’ vanishes and the number no longer works. Some complainants have mentioned “West Africa/French accents” when they did, in early phases of the buying process, spoken to these fraudulent “breeders”.Understand very well: this is not run by unscrupulous breeders; there are no breeders – unscrupulous or otherwise – in this picture, anywhere. More likely it is some-one sitting in a flat in Hillbrow, copying pictures off the internet and using the name of a perfectly legitimate registered breeder. The essence for the public in exposing a scam is therefore not in the first place to determine if it is a registered/legitimate/reputable breeder, but whether they are in fact talking to the real who-ever-the-name-of-the-breeder is.The typical features of the process include:
Upon enquiry, the enquirer receives a lovely long email telling how the breeder raises the kittens and how he takes care in finding good homes.
A number of photographs attached, with the names of the kittens.
An invitation to let him know your pick of the lot.
An offer to fly/transport the kitten, sometimes with delivery at your door.
The email signature includes only cell and fax numbers, and often a street address.
They are usually situated in out-of-the way towns such as Upington, Citrusdal, Hermanus etc.
Once you do make your choice of kitten, you receive a very formal invoice, on a “cattery letterhead”. Bank details are sometimes (but not always)
that of an “E-wallet”, rather than a standard bank account. The account is often in the name of the cattery.
In some cases cat breeds that are not present in South Africa or not recognised for registration, are advertised.
Scammers use the name and cattery name of registered breeders, create credible-looking email addresses and market kittens at prices maybe slightly below the going rate for the particular breed, but often with exorbitant shipping fees. Of course the kittens do not exist and once payment has been received, the ‘breeder’ vanishes and the number no longer works. Some complainants have mentioned “West Africa/French accents” when they did, in early phases of the buying process, spoken to these fraudulent “breeders”.Understand very well: this is not run by unscrupulous breeders; there are no breeders – unscrupulous or otherwise – in this picture, anywhere. More likely it is some-one sitting in a flat in Hillbrow, copying pictures off the internet and using the name of a perfectly legitimate registered breeder. The essence for the public in exposing a scam is therefore not in the first place to determine if it is a registered/legitimate/reputable breeder, but whether they are in fact talking to the real who-ever-the-name-of-the-breeder is.The typical features of the process include:
Upon enquiry, the enquirer receives a lovely long email telling how the breeder raises the kittens and how he takes care in finding good homes.
A number of photographs attached, with the names of the kittens.
An invitation to let him know your pick of the lot.
An offer to fly/transport the kitten, sometimes with delivery at your door.
The email signature includes only cell and fax numbers, and often a street address.
They are usually situated in out-of-the way towns such as Upington, Citrusdal, Hermanus etc.
Once you do make your choice of kitten, you receive a very formal invoice, on a “cattery letterhead”. Bank details are sometimes (but not always)
that of an “E-wallet”, rather than a standard bank account. The account is often in the name of the cattery.
In some cases cat breeds that are not present in South Africa or not recognised for registration, are advertised.
So how do you know whether you smell a rat?
Google, common sense and good old gut-feel are your best friends. Greed and impatience do not share a bed with these! Do a Google search on the phone number.
Google, common sense and good old gut-feel are your best friends. Greed and impatience do not share a bed with these! Do a Google search on the phone number.
Do a Google search on the name of the “breeder”/breeder.
Do a Google search on the kitten pictures that you received.
Do a Google search on the physical address.
Do a Google Maps search on the physical address.
Contact the 3 cat registration bodies in South Africa.
There is obviously a purpose in advertising kittens from out-of-the-way towns: no risk that a prospective buyer would request to pop over
on Sunday afternoon to see the kittens. Check the reaction if you do propose a visit and suggest a definite day and time. Do you hear the alarm bells sounding?Real cat breeders do it as a hobby. Our catteries are not registered businesses, and mostly we do not have bank accounts in the name of
the cattery. We are just ordinary flesh-and-blood people. And our kittens are not goods that come with invoices and delivery notes. A bank account in the name of the cattery should alert you. (There might be exceptions, though; but be extra careful.)We often fly kittens within the country, if necessary. There are no special and intricate permits required, apart from a vaccination certificate showing a Rabies vaccination.Self-defence tips
Do not deposit money into an E-wallet; I believe such deposits can neither be traced not reversed.
It is better to look for a breeder in paid advertising media: the pet magazines such as Animal Talk, All About Cats, Kittycat Online Magazine; a paid advertising site such as Kittycat; and also on the websites of the 3 registration bodies. All reputable breeders would have to be registered with at least one of these bodies.
This does NOT mean that you could not find a perfectly reputable (and registered) breeder via free advertising websites, because we do realize
that those are the first places where the average person out there turns to when looking for something, including a pet. HOWEVER, if you use these sites you have to be much more alert, keep your wits about you and do due diligence.
What to do if the rat has bitten you?
This is clearly fraud. It is also not isolated cases of fraud, but a wide-spread scam.To start with, the police can do nothing without a case report. To report a case in person at a police station can be tedious, but you might want to try. As an alternative though:You can phone Crime Stop 08600 10111 to report (with evidence of course) when a FICA-compliant South African bank assigned a bank account to a fraudulent scammer; or when a RICA-compliant cell phone company assigned a cell number to a fraudulent scammer.Upon police instruction, banks and cell phone providers must immediately suspend the scamming accounts. PLUS you get a reference number to inquire about progress. Phone often to check progress and harass all concerned if they do nothing!
Read more about Crime Stop 08600 10111 athttp://www.saps.gov.za/crimestop/message_div_comm.htm#report
This is clearly fraud. It is also not isolated cases of fraud, but a wide-spread scam.To start with, the police can do nothing without a case report. To report a case in person at a police station can be tedious, but you might want to try. As an alternative though:You can phone Crime Stop 08600 10111 to report (with evidence of course) when a FICA-compliant South African bank assigned a bank account to a fraudulent scammer; or when a RICA-compliant cell phone company assigned a cell number to a fraudulent scammer.Upon police instruction, banks and cell phone providers must immediately suspend the scamming accounts. PLUS you get a reference number to inquire about progress. Phone often to check progress and harass all concerned if they do nothing!
Read more about Crime Stop 08600 10111 athttp://www.saps.gov.za/crimestop/message_div_comm.htm#report
You can also use Cybercrime.org.za to report a scam online: http://cybercrime.org.za/reporting
Note though that this is merely publishing – only the police can act.
See also Scam Busters– an independent site for posting scam content online: http://scambuster.co.za/report-a-scam/report-a-scam.html
All said and done, chances are you will lose your money, so be very careful before parting with it in the first place.
Note though that this is merely publishing – only the police can act.
See also Scam Busters– an independent site for posting scam content online: http://scambuster.co.za/report-a-scam/report-a-scam.html
All said and done, chances are you will lose your money, so be very careful before parting with it in the first place.
Article used with permission from Elizabeth van Reenen & Kittycat Online Magazine
Cat Registration Bodies of South Africa
Please take the time to enter any or all of the websites linked to this page – each registration body’s webpage contains lists of registered Breeders – here you will find contact information and/or a link to their cattery pages. If you are ever in doubt or unsure about any details provided to you immediately contact the relevant registering body.
We are here to help you…
We are here to help you…
Join our Community on FB and help us help cats in need
Connect with us on the following social media platforms.