The Cambridge Animal Commission is alerting the public to an extortion scam claiming to offer toy poodle puppies for sale.
Scammers have reportedly been attaching flyers to vehicles in the area which include information about a $1,000 listing for toy poodle puppies, according to the commission. The flyers state that the puppies are 8 weeks old, fully vaccinated, and registered with all documents.
In reality, there are no such puppies, and the flyers are part of an extortion scam. No dogs are being sold through the phone number, and the image used on the flyer is a stock photo, the commission said.
Cambridge police and the commission are investigating the scam along with other agencies in the area, according to the commission. The city provided a list of tips to help residents avoid falling for these scams, including meeting breeders or puppy sellers in person, analyzing reviews and referrals, and getting proper documentation.
Better Business Bureau data indicates that in the past three years, nearly 10,000 scam reports and complaints have come in related to selling puppies and dogs, the commission said. However, only about 10 percent of victims report the crimes, so the actual number is likely much higher.
The commission and police are encouraging anyone who has information about the scam or believes they have been victimized to file a police report or call 617-349-3300.