18 signs of Internet Fraud when purchasing a pet of any type.

.. I've spoken to a lot of potential pet owners this past week, as the "Internet Fraud Manager" of my company, Air Animal Pet Movers; in an attempt to understand why the internet is utilized to purchase a living creature that will occupy a significant portion of your life; requiring both a financial committment and as well as an emotional committment.

... what I have learned this week is as follows ...

1. this is the first internet purchase by many of the people I have spoken with.
2. the naivety of the purchaser is remarkable.
3. the pressure to purchase over the internet apparently comes from a family member.
4. the caller does not know where Cameroon is located; it is a country in Africa.
5. the caller is requested to send money either via Western Union or MoneyGram; usually to the African country of Cameroon; yet a payment to the UK is not unusual.
6. the puppy, parrot, kitten, etc will originate from a city not near where you live.
7. you will not be able to speak to the breeder supplying the potential pet purchase.
8. you will not be given the airline flight number of the pet's arrival.
9. you will not be given the eleven (11) digit airline air cargo airwaybill for tracking purposes.
10.you will be pressured by e mail, text messaging, and/or telephone to act quickly, or else you will lose your initial payment and the pet will be sold to someone else who is waiting.
11.the internet scam is usually a three to five step process ... as follows ..
a. a below market price for the pet purchase
b. an additional request for "insurance"
c. an additional request for "unexpected veterinary fees"
d. an additioanl request for "an import permit required at the last moment"
e. an additional request for "unexpected transport costs"
12.the seller of the pet creates a sense of urgency for you to act.
13.various "guilt trips" will be imposed upon you by the seller.
14.you will not be able to connect to any telephone numbers you are given.
15.the pet purchase will come from " the _____________ office of Air Animal".
16.there is only one office of Air Animal .. it is located in Tampa, Florida.
17.the seller does not speak English clearly and does not write in clear concise terms; the messages you receive via e mail or text messaging contain many spelling errors as well as syntax errors.
18. and .. that's what I've learned this week talking to people all over the USA, Canada, and the world.

submitted in the public interest by: Walter M Woolf, V.M.D. ... principal owner & managing director .. Air Animal Pet Movers ... also serving as the Internet Fraud Manager of Air Animal, Inc.