Description

I reached out to this company via an online ad I saw for dalmatian puppies for sale. Their site looks legitimate so I submitted an inquiry. They responded the next day via text message. We communicated that way for a while and paid the initial amount of $700 ($500 for puppy $200 for shipping) via Zelle. I then called to speak in person to ensure it was a real person. I spoke with the "owner" who refused to give his name which was the first red flag. I requested delivery of the dog the next day, as it was a gift for my daughter's birthday. They confirmed that delivery could happen next day. The following day, I received another text to set up flights. I had went back and forth with them for a while, as they were insistent that there were no acceptable flights. Once I told them that I needed an earlier delivery, they were able to find a flight that worked. I next received an email stating that the puppy was registered to fly. I then received a second email saying that we had to pay a crate deposit for them to ship the puppy. There were 2 options for the deposit-- $2000 or $3000. They said this amount would be refunded in cash upon arrival of the puppy. When I attempted to send the deposit amount, I ran into trouble as the bank blocked it for fraud. When I told them this, the communication became very hostile. I was able to only send $500 of the $3000 deposit and they said this would be acceptable to ensure the puppy was on the flight. I then requested proof via photo of the dog before sending the rest of the payment. That made them even more angry, and they said it was against their policy. The "shipping company" who was also communicating with me via text message then sent a threatening message. The longer it took to clear the bank, the more agitated they got. I told the "owner" that I was having trouble sending the funds because the bank kept flagging it as fraud, and he switched around and said to cancel the whole thing so he can get his dog back. Then once I attempted to cancel and asked for a refund, he said it is too late to cancel and he couldn't get the dog back since it was in my name after I signed a contract. There was no contract. I signed nothing. No contract was ever sent or disclosed. The "shipping company" also tried to guilt trip me when I attempted to cancel saying "so you want the dog to go to the shelter." Which was weird because why would it go to a shelter and not back to the owner? Then communication ceased once they realized I would not be sending additional funds. I will include screenshots of emails and text messages.