Scam Watch
Check before you pay
South Africans lose millions every year to pet scams. Search our community-reported scam database by phone number, email address or website before paying any deposit — and if you've been scammed, report it to protect the next buyer.
How the courier and transport-fee puppy scam works in South Africa
This is a documented scam pattern, not a report about one person. It is the most common and costly pet scam in South Africa. You find a pupp...
Puppy / pet deposit scamThe deposit-and-disappear scam: underpriced purebred puppies
A documented scam pattern. High-demand breeds like French Bulldogs, Boerboels, Samoyeds, poodle mixes and Golden Retrievers are advertised f...
Impersonating a real breeder or shelterStolen photos and breeder impersonation scams
A documented scam pattern. Scammers copy photos, kennel names and even the identity of real, registered breeders to look legitimate. The sam...
Fake breeder or pet shop websiteFake breeder, pet-shop and courier websites
A documented scam pattern. A Gauteng-based syndicate runs over 100 professional-looking websites selling puppies, kittens and exotic birds,...
Fake vet bill or insurance fee scamFake vet bills, health-clearance and insurance fee scams
A documented scam pattern. After you have paid for a pet, a "vet", "airline" or "courier" suddenly demands more money for vaccinations, a he...
Overpayment / refund scamThe overpayment and refund scam (aimed at sellers)
A documented scam pattern that targets people selling pets or pet supplies. A "buyer" sends you a payment for more than the agreed price, th...
Other pet scamFake KUSA registration papers
A documented scam pattern. Scammers forge KUSA certificates and transfer forms, or misuse the KUSA logo on sales websites, to make a puppy l...
Other pet scamWhen a pet "seller" asks for your ID: identity theft
A documented scam pattern with a nasty twist. Beyond taking your money, some syndicates ask buyers to send a copy of their ID "for the couri...
Other pet scamUntraceable payment demands: EFT or e-wallet to a personal account
A documented scam pattern. Scammers insist on instant, hard-to-reverse payment, an EFT or e-wallet that must "reflect immediately", into a p...
Other pet scamUrgency, pressure and guilt tactics in pet scams
A documented scam pattern that appears in almost every pet scam. Scammers manufacture urgency so you pay before you can do any checks: "last...
Other pet scamWhen a seller refuses a video call or an in-person visit
A documented scam pattern, and one of the simplest tests you can run. Real sellers can show you the animal; scammers cannot, because there i...
Courier or delivery fee scamThe "free to a good home, just pay shipping" scam
A documented scam pattern. An adorable pet is offered free or almost free "to a loving home", with a heart-tugging back-story: the owner is...
Puppy / pet deposit scamSick puppies and no-refund backyard breeders
A documented problem, sometimes fraud, sometimes reckless backyard breeding. A puppy is sold cheaply and cash-only, often from a home or a c...
Impersonating a real breeder or shelterFake champion bloodlines and inflated pedigree claims
A documented scam pattern. A seller inflates the price by claiming "champion bloodline", "imported parents" or "show quality", backed by pap...
Impersonating a real breeder or shelterPuppy mills posing as small home breeders
A documented pattern. A high-volume puppy mill markets itself as a loving small home breeder, using staged photos and always having a puppy...
Common pet scams in South Africa
Know the pattern before you pay — every type below has been reported here
Puppy / pet deposit scam
You paid a deposit (usually via EFT or e-wallet) for a puppy, kitten or other pet that never existed. The "breeder" disappears or keeps inventing new fees.
Courier or delivery fee scam
After paying for a pet, an alleged courier or "pet transport agency" demands extra fees: a special travel crate, insurance, permits. The pet never arrives.
Fake vet bill or insurance fee scam
The seller or a fake vet demands payment for vaccinations, health certificates or emergency treatment for the pet you already paid for.
Fake breeder or pet shop website
A professional-looking breeder or pet shop website with stolen photos, fake reviews and no real animals behind it.
Impersonating a real breeder or shelter
The scammer poses as a real, registered breeder or shelter, using their name, photos or KUSA details to appear legitimate.
Overpayment / refund scam
A "buyer" overpays for your pet or supplies with a fake payment, then asks you to refund the difference before the payment bounces.
Other pet scam
Any other scam involving pets: pet sitting, grooming, lost-pet ransom demands, adoption fee fraud and more.
The safest way to buy a pet
Every PetGuru breeder and shelter goes through verification — SA ID validation with hashed storage and reuse checks, document review, SAVC name-roll matching for vets, and proof they control the business they claim — before earning a verified badge. Read our Safety & Anti-Scam Guide, and when you're ready, buy from a verified seller.
Browse Verified Breeders
Reports on Scam Watch are submitted by members of the public and reflect the reporter's own account of events. PetGuru moderates every report before publication but cannot independently verify each claim. If a report concerns you, see our Notice & Take-Down procedure.
