How to Avoid Getting Scammed

It’s becoming more and more common for puppies that are smuggled illegally into Sweden to be advertised on various buy-and-sell sites. It’s easy to fall for a cute puppy photo and ignore all the warning signs you might notice.

André Andersson · 9th February 2019 · 4 min read

Smuggled dogs are becoming more common every year

It’s becoming increasingly common for puppies that have been smuggled illegally into Sweden to be advertised on various buy-and-sell sites. It’s easy to fall for a cute puppy photo and ignore all the warning signs you see.

It’s very important to take the time to check the puppy’s background. Far too many people in Sweden don’t realise they’ve bought a smuggled dog until they visit a vet for the first time. With Skaffa Hund, you can be certain you’re buying from a Swedish resident, as we require users to log in with their personal ID number. You can also see the seller’s most recent reviews.

Dog in crate

Ten tips to reduce the risk of being scammed

People who smuggle dogs know exactly how to trick you. Someone buying a dog for the first time can easily fall for their lies and believe everything they say. If you get a bad feeling or suspect the dog might be smuggled, it’s better to walk away than to go through with the deal. Below are some tips to help you feel more confident:

NEVER pay a deposit or any other form of payment before you’ve met the dog in its home environment. Scammers often say things like, “Lots of people are interested, but you can have the dog if you pay, for example, 5,000 as a deposit.” Never pay in advance if you want to avoid being scammed.
Find out where the dog comes from, whether you’re buying in Sweden or abroad.
Check that the puppy has been examined by a vet no more than seven days before your purchase, and demand documentation showing that the puppy has been vaccinated and dewormed.
Make sure the seller’s full name, personal ID number, address, and phone number are included in the purchase contract. Do not accept only a mobile number.
Check that the mother of the puppies is registered in Sweden.
Do not accept having the pedigree sent to you afterwards. If the puppy has a pedigree, you should receive it at the latest when you pick up the puppy. If the seller wants to send it later, there is probably neither a registered kennel nor a pedigree.
Dogs over four months old must be microchipped. Check whether the puppy is microchipped and registered with SKK if it is a purebred. If it is a mixed breed, check that it is registered with Jordbruksverket. Ask to see the mother’s registration as proof. The chip number must be stated on the vet’s health certificate.
Visit the breeder’s home and meet the mother and the puppies. Many smuggled dogs are sold through middlemen and without you ever seeing the dog in its home environment.
Remember that it is illegal to sell puppies before they are eight weeks old. If the puppy is taken from its mother too early, it may develop behavioural problems.
For all countries except Norway, a puppy younger than 15 weeks is brought in illegally. Rabies vaccination can be given at the earliest at 12 weeks of age, and there must be a waiting period of 21 days from countries with the lowest requirements.
It is forbidden to crop dogs’ ears and dock their tails in Sweden. A dog with cropped ears or a docked tail was not born in Sweden.

The Security Package

The Security Package is a service we’ve created at Skaffa Hund. Sellers can choose to add it to their ad. We provide you as the seller, and the buyer, with all the documentation required when selling a dog, including essential purchase agreements and guides. Everything is designed to ensure the safest possible sale and the best start for the dog in its new family!

Secure Payment

At Skaffa Hund, safety is our guiding principle in everything we do, and our goal is to create a safer environment for sellers, buyers, and dogs. There are many uncertainties and scams in dog sales, and the payment process is part of that. We naturally do everything we can to stop this.

That’s why we developed our payment service Secure Payment together with Rocker. The payment is held by Rocker until the seller and buyer have completed the transaction. Once they’ve agreed on the dog’s new home and the buyer has confirmed that the seller is genuine, the buyer approves the transaction and the money is transferred directly to the seller.

High costs

Puppies smuggled illegally into Sweden have had a rough journey and are not always in good condition, as they are often transported under the influence of drugs. Many of the puppies found at the border are in such poor shape that they have to be put down immediately.

If you’ve bought a smuggled dog, it can become very expensive because the puppy may be infected with various diseases. These puppies often fall ill quickly – and since there is usually no insurance on such puppies – vet bills can become extremely high right away.

Never buy a smuggled dog

As long as there are people who buy smuggled dogs, the smuggling will continue. It’s up to you as a puppy buyer to never purchase a dog you suspect may have been smuggled. Never pick up a dog in a car park, parking garage, or similar place. Even if you buy the dog because you feel sorry for the puppy, you are still contributing to more dogs suffering the same fate.