How to Spot a Savannah Cat Scammer

[admin]

So how do you spot a scammer? Here are a couple of tips...

1. Website says TICA Registered...you can look here and verify: http://www.tica.org/public/breeds/includes/cattery.pdf
2. Website has name of cattery their queens and studs are from with location: look it up - google it to make sure...
3. Website has cat listed as a filial generation it cannot possible be...for instance, F3 SBT
4. Website domain is listed in another country, which you can easily find out by going here: http://who.godaddy.com/whoischeck.aspx?isc=999COM25&ci=8926
5. Pictures on site belong to another breeder
6. Price is well below what the average savannah cat price is

 

[Pam Flachs]

...also: website has wording or text copied from another legitimate breeder's site as their introduction. There may be several such references from different breeders. This does not mean those who have permission to use other breeders' articles.

Wording in a reply is fractured or "odd" English...."for sell"; "God bless"; "my dear", etc.

Pictures of breeding cats or kittens "for sell" are obviously NOT Savannahs, ie: rosetted Bengals; serval kittens.

Website also offers caracals, leopards, tiger cubs.....

 

[Kimberly]

I have received an email from a scammer. She wanted to buy my couch (old and used) for a ridiculous amount of money, she talked of western union, a shipping company, extra money blah, blah, blah .. It was pretty funny, words mispelled, bad grammar etc. Her name was "Fatouma Ahmat" and she is from "Arkansas", her family is overseas etc .. . I replied with the word "SCAM" she replied back calling me childish and immature. LOL~ I had a good laugh that day.

 

[Brigitte Cowell]

yes, those are all red flags...the use of Western Union, the shipping company, sending you the money for the shipping agent that you then pass on... obvious scam indicators!

 

[Samber]

i sent 2 emails to 2 different ads. just asking for more info. i got 2 emails back with the same copy paste scam message. lol

 

[Krisbaker]

I found a scam trying to buy my baby. The add I found was in "Wyoming" and I drove from denver to their "address" only to find no one lived their or was selling a savannah!! 4 hours wasted driving on a scam, then they contacted me saying they could ship my cat.... I replied SCAM and was told I was childish as well. What a joke! I finally found a great reputable breeder in denver and now have a fantastic savannah!


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[Brigitte Cowell]

So they arranged to have you pick up to not be there? How bizarre...typically they just go straight to shipping via their "delivery service" etc... odd that they'd give you an address!

 

[Krisbaker]

I thought it was crazy as well! You can imagine my anger driving from denver to wyoming for a cat, only to find that the address I went to didn't even have cats or have a clue someone was using their address!

 

[Patti]

Wow, that really sucks! I'm glad you found a wonderful Savannah closer to home, but what a painful lesson to learn...

 

[Lorre]

So how do you spot a scammer? Here are a couple of tips...

1. Website says TICA Registered...you can look here and verify: http://www.tica.org/public/breeds/includes/cattery.pdf
2. Website has name of cattery their queens and studs are from with location: look it up - google it to make sure...
3. Website has cat listed as a filial generation it cannot possible be...for instance, F3 SBT
4. Website domain is listed in another country, which you can easily find out by going here: http://who.godaddy.com/whoischeck.aspx?isc=999COM25&ci=8926
5. Pictures on site belong to another breeder
6. Price is well below what the average savannah cat price is

Paige,

I have tried your tica.org link above several time and always get the same "
Error 404 (Not found)" each time.