A 78-year-old Lincoln woman’s quest to purchase a dog ended with her getting scammed out of $14,000. Lancaster County Sheriff’s Chief Deputy Ben Houchin says the woman was trying to by a pug puppy on Facebook Marketplace.
“A man who says he was out of Broken Bow advertised the dog for $500.” Houchin says the man told the woman she needed to pay additional fees to get the puppy using Bitcoin and gift cards. “She never saw the puppy, never got the puppy. This went on from December 15-23.”
Houchin says you should do your research on Marketplace and make sure you see what you are buying and have your hands on it. He also reiterates that no one should ever pay with gift cards or Bitcoin.
If anyone is thinking about buying a family pet, Houchin says keep local animal shelters in mind.