BRIGHTON, Colo. - Kathryn Gold posted an ad on Craigslist for her 11-week-old shih tzu 'Kahlua' that she could no longer take care of. "We just wanted to find her a good home," Kathryn said.
Kathryn thought she found that 'good home' when a woman came to her house and offered her $150 for the puppy. The buyer, Jeni Beyer, wrote Kathryn a check.
"I went the very next day to the bank to try to clear the check. The bank told me the funds were not in the account," Kathryn said.
So Kathryn called Jeni and asked for her dog back. She said Jeni told her she had given the puppy to a friend. But Kathryn found an ad Jeni posted on Craigslist for her dog just a day after she took Kahlua.
FOX31 caught up with the buyer, Jeni Beyer. She admitted that she sold the dog.
When asked if it was a stolen dog, Jeni Beyer told us "I didn't think of it like that. But all I can say is I never said I don't owe them the money. I owe them the money."
Beyer told FOX31 that she needs until September 3rd to get the money to Kathryn. But Kathryn's not buying it.
"I just don't want this to happen to anyone else. I don't want this to become a business or a habit that people are doing," Kathryn said. "There are legitimate people who want puppies and are looking for a good deal to bring them into a loving home, and there are just other people are just scam artists."
The Better Business Bureau serving Denver and Boulder routinely puts out warnings regarding Craigslist. Here are some of their reminders:
"Craigslist can be a great tool but users need to remember that most of it is free advertising anyone can post on it, scam someone and remove the posting the very next day", said Dale Mingilton, President and CEO of the BBB serving Denver/Boulder. "It has become a prime environment for scammers and criminals - so users need to use extreme caution".
Your BBB advises to take the following advice to avoid being scammed whether you are buying or selling on Craigslist:
Complete your transaction with someone who is local that you can meet in person.
When meeting up, never go alone and try to meet in a public setting if possible.
If you are selling, do not accept a personal check or cashier's check as payment. Cashier's checks are often fraudulent and you will owe the amount to your bank once they determine it is fake. Request cash only.
If you are buying, never, ever make a wire transfer. If you pay this way, you will likely never receive what you bought and will have no recourse because wire transfers are virtually untraceable.
Do not click on links. They are likely to be viruses or attempts to hack into your computer.
Do not trust claims stating Craigslist "guarantees" the transaction. Craigslist is not involved in any way with transactions that take place on its sites.
Avoid transactions where the seller wants to use an 'online escrow service'. These typically turn out to be scams and the buyer never receives the product.
Finally, if buying from a company CHECK IT WITH THE BBB FIRST! Visit www.denver.bbb.org or call (303) 758-2100. If there is a negative report or no report, you may want to avoid the transaction all together.
To report internet fraud including Craigslist scams, contact the Internet Fraud Complaint Center / 800 251-3221 / www.ic3.gov
Kathryn thought she found that 'good home' when a woman came to her house and offered her $150 for the puppy. The buyer, Jeni Beyer, wrote Kathryn a check.
"I went the very next day to the bank to try to clear the check. The bank told me the funds were not in the account," Kathryn said.
So Kathryn called Jeni and asked for her dog back. She said Jeni told her she had given the puppy to a friend. But Kathryn found an ad Jeni posted on Craigslist for her dog just a day after she took Kahlua.
FOX31 caught up with the buyer, Jeni Beyer. She admitted that she sold the dog.
When asked if it was a stolen dog, Jeni Beyer told us "I didn't think of it like that. But all I can say is I never said I don't owe them the money. I owe them the money."
Beyer told FOX31 that she needs until September 3rd to get the money to Kathryn. But Kathryn's not buying it.
"I just don't want this to happen to anyone else. I don't want this to become a business or a habit that people are doing," Kathryn said. "There are legitimate people who want puppies and are looking for a good deal to bring them into a loving home, and there are just other people are just scam artists."
The Better Business Bureau serving Denver and Boulder routinely puts out warnings regarding Craigslist. Here are some of their reminders:
"Craigslist can be a great tool but users need to remember that most of it is free advertising anyone can post on it, scam someone and remove the posting the very next day", said Dale Mingilton, President and CEO of the BBB serving Denver/Boulder. "It has become a prime environment for scammers and criminals - so users need to use extreme caution".
Your BBB advises to take the following advice to avoid being scammed whether you are buying or selling on Craigslist:
Complete your transaction with someone who is local that you can meet in person.
When meeting up, never go alone and try to meet in a public setting if possible.
If you are selling, do not accept a personal check or cashier's check as payment. Cashier's checks are often fraudulent and you will owe the amount to your bank once they determine it is fake. Request cash only.
If you are buying, never, ever make a wire transfer. If you pay this way, you will likely never receive what you bought and will have no recourse because wire transfers are virtually untraceable.
Do not click on links. They are likely to be viruses or attempts to hack into your computer.
Do not trust claims stating Craigslist "guarantees" the transaction. Craigslist is not involved in any way with transactions that take place on its sites.
Avoid transactions where the seller wants to use an 'online escrow service'. These typically turn out to be scams and the buyer never receives the product.
Finally, if buying from a company CHECK IT WITH THE BBB FIRST! Visit www.denver.bbb.org or call (303) 758-2100. If there is a negative report or no report, you may want to avoid the transaction all together.
To report internet fraud including Craigslist scams, contact the Internet Fraud Complaint Center / 800 251-3221 / www.ic3.gov
