Lessons learned from buying pets online.
Taking advantage of the public's demand for mixed-breed cats and pedigree dogs, many scammers create fake pet selling accounts on social media. Pet images are edited or created using AI to increase credibility and attract viewers. Without careful verification, victims may place orders and transfer money to these "phantom shops" but never receive the goods.
Ms. TS, residing in Son Tien hamlet, My Thuan commune, expressed her frustration, stating that about two months ago, her grandson asked for money to order a black British Shorthair cat online for 2 million VND. The seller provided very detailed advice on care, food, grooming, etc., so she and her family trusted them. “The seller sent my grandson many pictures of the cat. In the pictures, the cat was beautiful, with smooth fur, and plump, so he really liked it. This account also promised to give him 3kg of cat food and pate, along with the vaccination record, health checkup record, and detailed care instructions. After I agreed to buy and transferred the money, the seller said the cat would be delivered by bus a week later. More than a week passed and the cat hadn't arrived. When I called the seller, I received a message saying 'the phone number is unreachable.' The account that contacted me to buy the cat was also unreachable. That's when I realized I had been scammed,” Ms. TS recounted.
Many victims fall victim to scams when participating in online groups and communities for buying and selling pets on social media. Photo: TUONG VI
Similarly, Mr. PH, residing in Son Kien commune, also lost money buying Phu Quoc dogs online. “Being home alone was boring, so I wanted to raise a small dog. I joined a Facebook group selling Phu Quoc dog breeds, saw an account posting pictures of healthy, lively puppies, and the seller guaranteed they were purebred. I transferred over 3 million VND to buy them. The seller promised delivery within 3 days. I waited a whole week, but no one delivered them. They didn't answer my calls or reply to my messages. I tried to find the contact information for the seller's account in the group, but it was gone,” Mr. H said.
"I'll cancel the order on the app and have it delivered elsewhere for faster service..."
That's the phrase used by scammers to defraud Ms. DTKP, a resident of Hon Dat commune, of nearly 300,000 VND. According to Ms. P, she ordered high-waisted trousers from a well-known online store. Immediately after placing the order, a stranger called her, introducing herself as Trang, the owner of the shop where Ms. P had just ordered a shirt. “Trang said that orders during Tet (Lunar New Year) were overwhelming, so my order would be delivered in about three weeks. I disagreed because I needed the trousers for a photoshoot. Trang said that ordering through the app meant waiting for the shipping company to arrange delivery, and if I wanted it faster, I could cancel the order, and Trang would have a delivery person deliver it, which would take about two days,” Ms. P recounted. About a day later, Ms. P received a call from the delivery person, repeatedly urging her to transfer 250,000 VND to pay for the trousers (including express shipping) so they could deliver another order and not be late. Because she was busy working, Ms. P transferred the money and asked the person to throw the package into her yard.
Upon returning home from work, Ms. P searched everywhere but couldn't find the package. She checked the security camera footage but saw no delivery person. When she tried contacting the store's phone number, she received a message saying "the phone number does not exist." Checking her order details again, Ms. P realized her carelessness: the store's information was vague, and the product had only been sold five times, not as many as the scammer had claimed.
Online scams, especially involving items like pets, electronics, and gifts, are on the rise as Tet (Lunar New Year) approaches. The Cyber Security and High-Tech Crime Prevention Department of the Ministry of Public Security advises people to avoid transactions with accounts requesting deposit transfers or lacking clear information. They should track their orders through official e-commerce platforms to stay updated on delivery status and carefully verify the seller's background before making a purchase to avoid losses.
Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/mat-tien-vi-shop-ao--a469736.html
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