Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring issued a warning yesterday to Virginia consumers about an active fraud involving purebred puppies. “When looking for a purebred puppy to add to their family, many consumers start their search on the internet, and that is exactly what scammers are relying on,” a statement from his office stated. Herring’s Consumer Protection Section has recently received multiple reports of consumers entering into agreements to buy a pet with a company they found online, only to learn the website and the company are a scam — and that no such puppy ever existed.

“Finding a new puppy to add to your family is an exciting time for Virginians, and the last thing anyone would want to happen is to pay hundreds of dollars to bring that puppy home, only to find out that he or she never existed,” said Attorney General Mark Herring. “Unfortunately, we’ve seen an increase in complaints about these puppy scams, and I urge all Virginians to give careful consideration to all large purchases made online, particularly if the terms seem too good to be true.”