Police in Durban North have raised their concerns over a spike in online fraud cases with a reported 15 cases opened in December alone.

In three of those cases reported, unsuspecting victims paid more than R8 000 to scam artists selling items online through social-media-related content.

According to station spokesperson Sergeant Nonhlanhla Shozi, one of the bigger cases reported involved the purchase of a puppy through a website.

“The victim spotted a puppy – a breed was not specified – that she wanted to adopt online, and she contacted the suspects via email. They informed her that the dog had been vaccinated and de-wormed and they required her to deposit R7 600. The suspects then passed on details of the flight the puppy was allegedly on. It was only when the victim contacted the airline that she realised she had been scammed.

“A case of fraud has now been opened. Unfortunately, we are seeing more of this where unsuspecting victims are being defrauded. I would advise residents looking to adopt or purchase a pet to look at reputable organisations rather than going the online route,” she said.

Carole Hibbert, an admin of The Puppy Scams in South Africa Facebook Group, which has more than 7 000 members, helps victims of online puppy scams and gives advice on how to avoid being scammed.

“The one thing we stress is for victims of these scams to open a case with the SAPS. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. The simple way to avoid being scammed is to ask the person you’ve reached out to, to send you a WhatsApp video of the puppy, especially if they are out of the province. The other suggestion is to say you have a friend who would like to view the puppy, and would they share a pin location?

“In many cases, the pet courier scams have websites with spelling errors and stolen images. Do your homework and conduct a reverse-image search of the puppy you want, and oftentimes, you’ll find the image has been used elsewhere. We encourage those who have fallen victim, or suspect they might have been scammed, to reach out to us,” she said.