How Puppy Scammers Impersonate Real Businesses
(And What to Do If You’ve Been Targeted)
Online puppy scams come in many forms, but one of the most deceptive, and most personal, is when a scammer doesn’t just invent a fake business, but steals the identity of a real, trusted one.
We know this firsthand. A scam website called keystonepupps.com posed as us (or as a business affiliated with us) to trick innocent people into paying for puppies that never existed. While that site has since been shut down, the tactic it used is still very much alive, and we want to make sure you know how to spot it.
When Scammers Wear a Real Business’s Face
Brand impersonation scams are particularly dangerous because they borrow trust that a legitimate company has spent years building. A convincing logo, a similar domain name, and a few stolen photos can be enough to fool someone who is genuinely excited about bringing a new puppy home.
In our case, keystonepupps.com was designed to look associated with Keystone Puppies. It was not. It had no puppies to offer, only a payment process with no intention of delivering anything on the other end.
We weren’t alone in calling it out. Consumer protection group Petscams.com listed the site as a known scam operation, which is one of the best places to check before purchasing from any unfamiliar puppy website.
The lesson here isn’t just “avoid fake sites”, it’s to verify that the business you’re buying from is actually the business they claim to be. A quick search for independent Google reviews, a phone call to a listed number, or a visit to a company’s official social media accounts can expose an impersonator fast.
General Rules to Avoid Impersonation Scams
These tips apply whether you’re dealing with a copycat site or any other type of online puppy scam:
- Ask if you can visit the puppies: This confirms the animals are real and well cared for.
- Check third-party reviews, not the reviews on their website: Scammers can fabricate on-site testimonials; they can’t control what shows up on other review sites.
- Ask to speak directly with the breeder: A legitimate service will always connect you with the breeder. A scammer will stall or deflect.
- Puppy delivery is never free: If the price seems impossibly good, it probably is.
- Don’t trust big sales or specials: Dogs aren’t shoes. A “limited time deal” on a puppy is a classic red flag.
What to Do If You’ve Already Been Scammed
If you or someone you know has paid money to a fraudulent puppy site, don’t panic, but do act quickly. Here are the four steps we recommend:
- Report it to your state’s Attorney General’s Office: Digital scams are hard to prosecute, but volume matters. The more people who come forward, the stronger the case. Find your state AG at: usa.gov/state-attorney-general.
- File a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3): The IC3 is a federal organization dedicated to pursuing online criminals. File at ic3.gov.
- If you paid via Zelle, report it to them directly: Many puppy scammers use peer-to-peer payment apps because they’re harder to reverse. Let Zelle know fraud is being committed on their platform at zellepay.com/support/contact.
- Leave a report on Petscams.com: Your experience could be the warning that stops someone else from being victimized. The more reports a scam site accumulates, the faster it gets flagged and removed (Petscams.com).
If you have questions about how to spot a scam site or want to know more about how we vet our breeders, we’re always happy to help. You can also read our broader guide Keystone Puppies Sniffs Out Online Puppy Scams for more on what to look for before you buy.
