NEWS RELEASE
SOUTH SIMCOE POLICE SERVICE
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The South Simcoe Police Service is reminding residents to be cautious when purchasing pets online.
In a recent incident, a resident was defrauded out of several thousand dollars after attempting to buy pet birds from the United States.
Here are some tips to avoid being a victim of this type of fraud:
- Never pay for a pet without seeing it first
- Try to see the pet in person but if not, request a video call
- Never pay with Bitcoin, a wire transfer or gift cards because once that money is gone, it's nearly impossible to get back
- Adopt pets from your local shelter or reputable pet store
Unfortunately, frauds are an ongoing issue everywhere and are constantly changing in order to dupe more people. Be alert and trust your gut. If it feels wrong, it probably is a scam.
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