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Notice on Internet Adoption and Purchase Scams

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been notified of an increasing number of Internet scams involving adoptions of pets from other countries into the United States. In most of these scams, victims respond to Internet classified advertisements in which animals such as Capuchin monkeys or purebred puppies are offered for adoption in exchange for shipping costs. Typically, the person offering the animal for adoption lives in another country and requests that the shipping fee be paid. After paying the shipping fee up front, victims discover that the animal is never delivered, and in some cases, that it is illegal to bring the animal to the United States.

In a typical scam, the animal offered for adoption is a Capuchin monkey. Unfortunately, victims may be unaware of federal regulations prohibiting the importation of nonhuman primates as pets. The CDC regulations covering the importation of nonhuman primates as pets are found at (42 CFR 71.53). Furthermore, all monkeys and other types of nonhuman primates are considered endangered species, which may not be imported without proper permits according to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). Often, the person offering the monkey for adoption claims to be  a missionary in an African country who can no longer care for the animal. The scammer offers the monkey for adoption and asks for only several hundred dollars to cover shipping costs. In several instances, unsuspecting persons have paid this fee and then received an e-mail telling them that the monkey was seized at an airport because it lacked the proper permits. In reality, the monkey never existed.

CDC has also been notified of at least one scam in which a purebred puppy, such as a Yorkshire terrier, was offered for adoption in a similar scheme. In this situation, the person offering the puppy for adoption first demanded payment of shipping fees, then payment for additional vaccinations that were actually not required by CDC. In reality, this was also a scam.

In these situations, the person conducting the scam often engages the victim in frequent e-mails and telephone calls to establish sincerity. CDC cautions consumers to be aware of the potential for Internet fraud involving the commercial trade of animals. Consumers should avoid situations in which they provide money up front prior to shipment and should make sure they are educated about federal requirements for shipping animals such as dogs, cats, and monkeys. Consumers should also be cautious of offers for animal adoptions from overseas, especially from countries in Africa. If Internet fraud is suspected, consumers should report these instances to the Internet site posting the classified advertisement and should also consider reporting Internet Fraud.