Puppy fraud is on the rise as the holidays approach, many consider puppies a wonderful gift. Our Special Reports Team at Veterinarians.org analyzed data from The Better Business Bureau to find out which states had the most online puppy scams this year.

Key Findings:

• From January 1, 2021 to October 31, 2021, there were 3,000 puppy scams reported – 165% more puppy scams in the U.S. than during the same time period in pre-pandemic 2019. 
• California reported 345 cases making it the #1 state with the most reported puppy scams.
• California lost over a quarter of a million dollars to puppy scams, with the average amount of money lost per victim totaling $733.69.
• Texas, Florida, and New York follow closely behind, with scam victims in these states on average losing more than $700, though Texas stands out with its $913.20 total.
• Michigan has the most money lost per fraud. Scam victims lost on average $1,097 in this state.
• With regards to the number of scams per 100K people, Montana tops the list at 1.94 scams per 100,000 residents. 
• Colorado, Arizona, Virginia, and Washington are the only states both in the Top 15 for most puppy scams overall as well as the Top 15 for most reported puppy scams per 100,000 people. 

To view the full study, click here. 

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