Photo: Boston Police Department
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — As the holiday season continues, the Boston Police Department (BPD) warns of a number of scam tactics specific to the holiday season.
Pets can be a common gift during the holiday season, especially dogs. As a result, authorities say puppy scams are a “common occurrence.”
According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB), as many as 80 percent of sponsored pet advertisements on the internet could be fake. Police recommend always conducting a “reverse image search” to help determine if the picture was taken by the people responsible for the advertisement.
In addition, authorities said you should always make sure you see the pet in person before you purchase it. When possible, they also recommend you avoid sending money digitally.
Avoiding these online-only situations and opting for local adoption may be the better option if you are looking for a potential pet.
MSPCA-Angell has four shelters in Massachusetts and is waiving their adoption fees for dogs one year and older December 5th-8th.
Authorities are also warning of “temporary holiday job scams,” where fraudsters pretend to offer seasonal employment as a way of gathering personal information. Oftentimes, these scammers pose as existing companies to seem more legitimate.
“Employers will never ask for payment for supplies, applications or training fees. Job seekers should be wary of big money for these positions and are advised to never work for a company before being hired,” said BPD in a statement.
As more and more packages start coming to doorsteps, authorities emphasized homeowners should be vigilant about bringing them inside quickly.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Shari Small (@ShariSmallNews) reports.
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