Boston police issue urgent warning about buying pets during the holiday season

Simple checks can protect families from holiday pet scams and make sure joyful plans don’t turn into losses.

PUBLISHED 2 HOURS AGO

(L) A man holding his phone with scam alert. (R) Three kittens in a present box. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) B4LLS, (R) GK Hart)

Boston police have issued a strong alert as the holiday season gets closer. They have urged people to stay careful when thinking about buying pets because many families look for new companions at this time of year. The department said the risk of falling for tricks goes up during busy shopping periods when people often rush into choices without checking the details. This warning aims to help buyers slow down and look closely before they trust any online offer. As officers explained, many of the problems happen when shoppers think a listing is real and move fast to secure a pet.

Police officer responding to emergency call. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images| Photo by kali9) — Police officer responding to emergency call. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by kali9)

As reported by CBS News on Sunday, November 16, 2025, the department noted that Better Business Bureau data shows that about eighty percent of sponsored online pet listings are not real, which is why many shoppers end up losing money before they realize something is wrong. Police thus advised people to look for signs that images or posts have been reused, to move forward only if they can visit the animal in person, and to pay close attention to prices that seem unusually low. They stressed that offers that appear overly generous often signal a problem. Keeping these basic checks in mind can help families stay safe during the busy holiday period.

Scam written on paper with notes around it. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Tara Winstead)

Police also warned against sending money through wire transfers, cash apps, or gift cards, since these methods are hard to trace and often used by scammers. They explained that gift cards are a frequent target because criminals may tamper with them, uncover the PIN, and take the funds once someone activates the card. In other cases, attackers use harmful software to drain the value of cards electronically. Buyers are told to inspect every card before paying or to buy cards straight from cashiers at trusted stores. Furthermore, anyone who becomes a victim should file a report with local police. If a Social Security number is affected, people can visit IdentityTheft.gov or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center for help.

A family at an animal shelter. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | bluecinema)

As these schemes continue to grow, another recent case involved a woman who was targeted as well, and the woman, pet-fraud expert Kate Margolis, later shared her experience to help others avoid the same trap. She had paid a deposit for a puppy she saw online, only to learn the seller had made up a story about the pup dying and had vanished with her $700. She now warns people about five key danger signs that buyers may face. The first is pressure to pay quickly, used to stop buyers from checking details. The second is the use of flawless photos taken from real breeders. The third is fake video calls made with prerecorded clips. The fourth is sellers refusing to provide proper ID or paperwork. And the fifth is being pushed toward fast bank transfers that cannot be traced. She hopes these reminders encourage buyers to stay alert.