TOTOWA, NJ – The New Jersey State Police have issued a warning regarding a recent scam targeting individuals looking to purchase puppies through Facebook. Multiple incidents have been reported, involving one or more individuals falsely advertising puppies for sale on the popular social media platform.
In each case, the suspect(s) engage with potential buyers through Facebook and eventually ask for payment through the CashApp mobile payment service. Once the victims have made their payments, the suspect(s) provide an address where the puppies can supposedly be picked up. However, upon arriving at the given address, the victims discover that the homeowner is not the person in the Facebook pictures and is unaware of any puppies for sale.
Following the realization that they have been scammed, the victims attempt to contact the suspect(s) for a refund or explanation, but find that the suspect(s) have become unresponsive and are no longer reachable.
State Police strongly advise the public to exercise caution when dealing with individuals selling items on Facebook or other social media platforms.