A Whitehorse resident wants to warn potential pet adopters to be careful when searching for animals on Facebook.

Tammi Johnson told the Star last Thursday that she was the victim of a scam when she tried to adopt two puppies found on a Facebook buy and sell page.

The post was found on the Spruce Grove (Alta.) Buy and Sell page of Dec. 14. The post advertised Maltipoos.

She explained the seller’s profile appeared legitimate. It was full of family photos, having been created in 2008.

“There was a great big history,” she said.

Johnson had made arrangements to adopt the last two available from the individual.

She explained her husband is allergic, thus the couple needs to adopt a hypo-allergenic dog. Maltipoos are one such breed.

The seller was willing to hold them provided Johnson paid a deposit. She sent an Interact e-Transfer of $600, which was accepted.

The seller sent an address where the dogs could be picked up. She arranged to be there on Dec. 16.

The couple flew to Edmonton on Dec. 15. They had already planned to be in the city, since they have family there. Picking up these dogs was an added bonus to the trip.

Johnson sent the seller a Facebook message on the night of Dec. 15, but it could not be delivered. The seller’s profile had disappeared.

The profile would later return, but their conversation was removed because it was determined to be either abusive or spam.

“That’s when I clued in that I was possibly scammed,” she said.

She looked up the address on both Google Maps and a plain Google search. There was a house at that address – but the search uncovered that it was both vacant and for sale.

On Dec. 16, they went to the address, hoping for the best, but no one was there with any puppies.

Johnson called the real estate agent and discovered that the name of the previous owner did not match the name of the seller.

She talked to the neighbours and was told the house had been vacant since late September. She also learned that the previous owner did not have any pets.

She next went to Spruce Grove’s RCMP detachment. She told police what had happened. She would also call her bank but nothing could be done until the bank receives information from police.

“Right now I’m just out the money and no puppies,” she said.

She clarified this scam goes beyond the $600 deposit. It also includes the money the couple spend on supplies for the two puppies. This includes crates, kennels and dog toys. She estimated this would bring loss between $800 and $900.

She hopes the RCMP is able to track the e-Transfer, as it was accepted.

“We think here would have to be some kind of electronic trail somewhere,” she said.

This has also had an emotional impact. Johnson said she cried for three days, but is past that point, and is now angry.

She explained she can always earn the money back, but not everyone is in this position.

She worries what would happen if a family on a limited income was the victim, as this kind of scheme could ruin Christmas for their kids. The parents in this case may not have the funds to buy gifts.

“That’s the part that burns me,” she said.

Johnson does not have kids with her husband. He he has grown children himself.

That said, she explained the couple’s Christmas has been affected. Since the scam ate up their gift money, now they can only get stocking stuffers.

Since the Dec. 15-16 weekend, she has been monitoring the seller’s Facebook profile. She has noticed it repeatedly disappears and reappears. One such time, it reappeared in French – when it had originally been in English.

She conducted further online searches and found similar if not identical posts on other buy and sell pages, as well as other websites she said she found on a sale site in the U.K. This post had further details of the puppies and the same pictures.

“There was a bigger and larger post,” she said.

The post was also found on two Victoria Buy and Sell pages as well as one in Taber, Alta.

She noted that the seller was also a member of similar pages in Newfoundland and Labrador, but was unable to find posts there. She reported the Victoria and Taber posts, which were ultimately taken down.

She added that the Spruce Grove post was deleted after the monetary exchange. She said all the posts had the same date. The U.K. was put online at around the same time as well.

She reported this information to the Whitehorse RCMP detachment. She was told the matter would have to stay in Alberta, but that the information would be forwarded.

She advises anyone who is looking to adopt a pet through Facebook do avoid buy and sell pages. She pointed out reputable breeders have their own pages.

Johnson recommends withholding e-Transfers or payment until you see the animal. She clarified you could risk losing the adoption opportunity, but you would protect yourself from potential fraud.

She also advises people to thoroughly go through the seller’s Facebook profile. She thought she had done this in her case.