On Facebook, classified ads offering to recover small balls of hair for cursed sums, even for free, are multiplying. But scams are becoming more and more common. This is what happened on July 15, 2022 to a couple living in Ferrières-en-Brie, reports La Marne.
They respond to an ad on Facebook. A certain Marie Anaïs is trying to give her Spitz Nain, a small ball of white hair, which is usually acquired for more than a thousand euros. The post, broadcast in a local group on the social network, is full of good feelings. “My husband loves animals. We have a dog, he has already brought us injured birds… If I listened to him, we would be the SPA!” explains Véronique, who finally falls for the animal
READ ALSO
Netflix account suspended: watch out for this new scam
A touching story
The announcement evokes an urgent need for a “foster family”, emphasizing that adoption is free. And the first messages exchanged are reassuring. The story is well put together: the young woman explains that she lacks time to take care of “her baby” because of the hospitalization of her daughter.
The trap closes and, soon, you have to pay 160 euros for a specialized transporter: Go Transport Animal Express. A Transcash ticket payment on a dubious and malfunctioning site. Then 480 € are requested for the purchase of a cage, necessary for the transport of the animal. And the scammers claim a blocked payment to claim other sums. It is then that the couple understands.
READ ALSO
He sells his Mac on Facebook, the scammer makes a transfer in front of him on a fake banking app
Posts on the rise
But these types of posts are found in many Facebook groups. In Ain, Paris, Gironde, and Périgueux, the same photos, the same message and the same Anaïs Marie, all posted in mid-July. And the stories told to the victims are often the same.
The national police regularly publishes alert messages, because few are the investigations that succeed. To spot them, first beware of opportunities that are too good. Purebred animals will rarely be given away. Spelling errors are another clue, as is the impossibility of leaving comments under the publication or even payment by Transcash or PCS. These transactions are untraceable, the newspaper notes.
Finally, do not hesitate to visit the profile of the advertiser. The name may differ from the email addresses and URLs that accompany it.
Receive our latest news
Every day, the selection of main info of the day.
