By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
RIVERVIEW — A woman reported July 15 that she was defrauded out of $800 by a person from whom she tried to purchase two Dachshund puppies.
She said on May 30 she sent payment through Chime, an online mobile banking service, and the breeder agreed to deliver the puppies to her from Indiana.
However, the seller then tried to get the woman to pay for a special crate for transport, which the purchaser refused to do. The seller then sent her a photo of a puppy at a veterinarian’s office and claimed that the puppy was injured in transit because they did not have a special crate. They then demanded money for the vet bill as well. When the buyer refused, the seller refused to refund her purchase price.
The woman then got a phone call, allegedly from a bank, telling her that they would help her recover her money, but she said she did not want to give the caller any personal identifying information.
The Riverview police officer advised her that she had been a victim of a scam, and to contact Chime and file a dispute claim with the company. She was also told to stop all interaction with the puppy seller and unsolicited bank communications, and to monitor her credit and bank accounts.