Warning: New Puppy Scam Hits The Hudson Valley

A Hudson Valley resident lost over $2,000 in a new puppy scam that arrived in the local area.

East Fishkill police were recently told about a puppy scam that impacted a resident.

A caller who purchased a dog from an online breeder, who was selling purebred puppies in Atlanta, G.A., was told the breeder was making arraignments to have the dog shipped by air to the area.

The caller got concerned after the family was later informed about additional shipping fees and Department of Agriculture certificate costs.

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An investigating East Fishkill officer determined the payment was sent to a nonexistent breeder and the phone numbers and other information were all fake, police say.

In total, the victim lost over $2,000 in what's called the “puppy purchasing scam,” officials say.

"Please be aware of the many On-Line scams and offers out there on the internet," East Fishkill Police Department wrote on Facebook. "Please do your research and contact local S.P.C.A.s and other local groups for references before purchasing any pets that you haven’t personally seen. These types of scams may include anything expensive that you can’t personally inspect before buying, and the seller offers to ship."