It's a heartbreaking, four-legged scam people say they never see coming.
Puppy scams are making the rounds in Northeast Ohio this holiday season.
Tom Gabyak told News 5 he looked everywhere for the perfect husky puppy and ended up finding several advertised online.
Gabyak said he checked out the photos and vet documents after talking to a man who claimed to be a breeder, then wired a $200 down payment and got a legitimate looking flight confirmation.
Except...it wasn't legit.
"It's embarrassing. I buy online all the time. You just have to be careful," he said.
There have been several reported puppy scams in just the past few weeks. Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine even issued a warning.
Sue McConnell, President of Cleveland's Better Business Bureau, told News 5 there are red flags to look for.
"The seller is out of state, they have to ship the puppy to you, you don't talk to them, they use email. They won't let you use a credit card because they're not a legitimate merchant," she said.
For more warnings and tips, see the Attorney General's website.
