Covid-19: Puppy scammers target lonely Aussies during lockdown

In a statement released this week, the ACCC said cavoodles and French bulldogs (pic) were among the most popular breeds used to lure potential puppy owners. — 123rf.com

SYDNEY: Australia is suffering a wave of puppy scams as fraudsters target the lonely and locked down with fake online offers of cavoodles, French bulldogs and other popular pooches, authorities said.

The consumer watchdog ACCC said the scammers fleeced people looking for a new pet out of some Aus$300,000 (RM853,362.90) in April alone, fives times higher than the normal monthly average.