BREEDERS BEWARE

Thank you for the warning.

It is not common for reputable breeders to sell pups to brokers since most want to know exactly where their pups are going, but we do appreciate the heads up.

This is a very common scam not just dogs but anything people are selling.  It seems that a lot of these money orders are foreign based and take weeks to clear and determine that they are bogus.

Just as a note.  This scam has been made possible due to the changes in the banking laws that were pushed by consumer group some years ago that allowed faster access to money from checks deposited.  So by changing the banking rules that gives you access to money from checks even though that check hadn't cleared the host bank it also opened the unintended consequence of allowing more counterfeiting.

This might be why reputable breeders require a hefty deposit.... 

And people wounder why I only buy/sell in cash with recites.

When I got my Quincy the breeder asked if I wanted to pay through electronic funds transfer. Hearing this I got my laptop out and signed into my bank's website to my account and then transferred money into the breeder's bank and their account. A minute later the breeder checked their bank account to see if the money had actually been tranfered, and yes it certainly had where the breeder happily handed over Quincy. Over the years I have paid for many things via electronic funds transfer and never had a problem, and where I see cheques and cash gradually becoming a thing of the past within modernized countries.

I don't write many checks or pay in cash anymore, but I'd never use a direct transfer of funds unless it's between my husband or my mom.  I do use PayPal, but that is through my credit card and paypal itself, so if something goes wrong, there are two third party companies to back you up and help you out.  I got ripped off on eBay once, but since I used PayPal, I filed complaints and the seller refunded the money. 

 I was selling a horse one time and had her listed on the internet.Well someone contacted me and everything was arranged for the sell.Got the money order in the mail but when I took it to the bank found out it was fake.But luckily I still had the mare in my possession.Sorry to hear about your pups missing.

I was over in Orlando and the news had a story along the same lines.  A GSD breeder was given a check for way over the sales amount and was told that the shipper that the buyer would pick up the dog and the difference between the dogs price and the check amount.  Now the check was for like $2500 and shipping wouldn't be anywhere the difference in the check.  She called the issueing bank (it was a US bank) and found out the money order was bogus.  Fortunately she was smarter and knew about this scam.  The police are waiting for a person to come to pick up the dog this Friday.

Liesje

do use PayPal, but that is through my credit card and paypal itself,

Be careful I had someone steal my CC number thru PP this year.  Since it was a CC that covered all theft loses it was no problem but I spent several hours on the phone making reports and repairing things.

If I was a breeder I wouldnt' be selling to a dog brooker to begin with. I would want to know where my puppies were going and make sure they were in good homes. 

dyan

If I was a breeder I wouldnt' be selling to a dog brooker to begin with. I would want to know where my puppies were going and make sure they were in good homes. 

You stole the words right outta my mouth! 

Queenofpy Sorry in advace.  This is what I found out on Dog Brokers. Here is the site address where I found the information http://mywebpages.comcast.net/NoPuppyMillsVA/What_is_a_Broker_/what_is_a_broker_.html

A broker is the "middle man."  They are the ones who buy a puppy from a miller and sell the pup to the pet store, another broker, or directly to the public. A broker will buy a puppy for say $120 from a miller (why millers breed so many puppies - they get little from the pup).  Then the broker will sell the pup to a pet shop for a profit. Then the pet shop will sell the puppy to the public for even more. Say a pet shop sells a Shetland Sheepdog pup for $800.00. The miller gets $120 from the broker for every Sheltie sold. In order to make $800.00, the miller has to sell to the broker 7 - 8 Sheltie pups. 

Brokers may frequent Auctions to find puppies to sell as well as breeding stock to sell back to millers.

How can you tell a broker? Well, look for puppies being sold that were not bred by them.  This is the first cue. However, some good breeders will work in conjunction with other breeders and may take puppies as stud fee and if the pup does not grow out as hoped, it will be sold as a pet. But brokers regularly sell puppies they do not breed. 

Use the same questions and guide you would use for helping determine if a breeder is a miller or not.

Thank you for the warning.  But as others have said Reputable breeders don't sell puppies to brokers.  period. 

This may have been your first litter or possibly you got a great snow job from this fellow promising wonderful homes etc. The fact is there aren't any short cuts to placing puppies carefully.  Breeding is both an honor and a privilage. It isn't to make a quick buck , it won't put your kids through college and it isn't for sissies.   I breed very carefully and only to get my next puppy.  I don't take deposits since I don't want to be locked in to selling the puppy if I change my mind. I have applications, I will send out upwards of 75-80 , get back about 65-70 of them, they are narowed  down to a first cut of 20 then a final cut by the time the pups are 8 weeks. (I keep the pups till they are 10-12 weeks old.)  I won't ship. So I have the chance to meet every one face to face to confirm my thinking.  By the time I allow the pups to go home I feel content to take a check,  or if given cash I don't think I have ever felt it necessary to count it. I really feel they are friends and so far I haven't been let down

Bonita of Bwana