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.
Fake 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 breeder or pet shop websiteThe overseas cattery and "imported kitten" scam
A documented scam pattern. A slick cattery website offers rare kittens and claims they will be imported or flown in, sometimes operated from...
Fake breeder or pet shop websitePet scams on Gumtree South Africa
A documented pattern. Classifieds like Gumtree list pets from anyone and offer no buyer protection, so scam adverts are common: underpriced...
Fake breeder or pet shop websitePet scams on Facebook Marketplace and Facebook groups
A documented pattern. Facebook Marketplace and buy-and-sell groups are full of pet scam adverts, often from freshly-made or hijacked profile...
Fake breeder or pet shop websitePet scams on OLX, Junk Mail and other classifieds
A documented pattern. Older classifieds sites and their newer replacements carry the same pet scams: cheap purebreds, recycled photos, and a...
Fake breeder or pet shop websiteAI-generated puppy and kitten photo scams
A newer, documented pattern. Scammers now use AI to generate photos and even short videos of pets that do not exist, defeating the old "reve...
Fake breeder or pet shop websiteFake breeder directories and review sites
A documented pattern. Scammers set up official-looking "breeder directories", "verified breeder" badges or review sites to lend credibility...
Fake breeder or pet shop websiteFake online pet stores that never ship
A documented pattern. A slick online shop advertises pet food, accessories or aquariums at prices that are too good to be true, takes your m...
Fake breeder or pet shop websiteCounterfeit pet medication and parasite-treatment scams
A documented pattern with a health risk. Fake or counterfeit flea, tick and worm treatments and other pet medicines are sold cheaply online,...
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.
