I’ve just had response from an wanted female gsp advert that I put on Pets4Homes. For a female gsp pup the breeder asked £750  and for me to make a 10% deposit. She has given me her bank account number! This  seems really odd as other breeders on the website are asking for at least £18000 for pups. I haven’t committed yet. But how can I find out if this is a scam?

do not make a bank transfer. You need to view the puppies, see the home they come from and satisfy yourself all is well before handing over any money.  Bank transfer for none existent puppies is sadly a long running scam-and you have no way at all of getting money back when it goes wrong. 

I would also be suspicious of the price- they are under charging which makes me think 'scam'

Did the breeder vet you, ask you questions about where you live, your experience with dogs, why you want a GSP besides any other breed? Did they tell you more information about the parents, what they are like, why they decided to breed these dogs together? Have they interviewed you over the phone or by Zoom? If not to this lot, walk away....

Thankyou for your replies. I’m glad I’ve become less guilble with age. I’m walking away from this one seemed to good to be true!! Thanks

> I would also be suspicious of the price- they are under charging which makes me think 'scam'

Agree with the rest, and I wouldn't touch them, but not necessarily this.  We know from discussions on prices that some of the good breeders have not hiked prices to compete with lockdown greed.

Occasionally there are some breeders who also don't charge the going rate because they know the pups aren't worth that much accidental litters, not tested etc.  Not great of course, but not necessarily a scam.

Just playing devil's advocate though - nothing else sounds good about this particular one.

Is that a typo?  £18000 seems a bit too high, even for lockdown prices

Definitely a typo!! Good spot!

The last time I logged onto Pets4homes I got a message not to pay a deposit until you had viewed the dog/puppy and has made sure it is a genuine advert.

I am seeing more adverts asking people to book and/or reserve a puppy when the litter is a few days old, or even before they are born.

There was an advert on Pets4homes earlier this week advertising a Golden Retriever puppy and said both parents could be seen. Except the photos of the puppy with its 'parents' were stolen from someone in America and the puppy was actually a Toller not a Golden so obviously a scam!

> I am seeing more adverts asking people to book and/or reserve a puppy when the litter is a few days old, or even before they are born.

Reservations for a just born litter has often happened before all this lock-down prices stuff.   I knew of a couple out in Canada who had a litter and when I was there, shortly after they'd been born (visiting for another reason) the husband was on the phone calling in deposits etc!   Even if I'd taken reservation deposits, which I didn't, I'd have wanted the litter to be established before doing that.   I too have seen adverts asking for reservation deposits when the bitch has only just been mated!!   Talk about tempting fate although how anybody can put a price on a litter before being whelped even, I don't know.   I remember we had somebody in my main breed who did that (before anybody did that) and boy was she dumped on by others in the breed - but that was then, not now

ps  Just seen on Pets 4 ---- 'American XL Bullies, 3 males at £5K, £6K and £7K' depending on colour.   Non KC registered of course.