When the time is right and you have decided you want to welcome a new fluffy member to the family, sometimes you don’t know where to start.

As well as thinking about the ideal breed to suit your lifestyle, finding a reputable breeder has been made more difficult than ever before due to online scams.

People are now losing an average £307 to pet scams and so far this year, there has been a 24% rise compared with 2022, according to new research by Lloyds Bank.

Those that included dogs have increased by 19% while for cats, it’s 13%.

The data also showed that over 50% of scams originated on Meta-owned platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

Some of the most common dog breeds used in pet scams

The experts revealed the most common dog breeds likely to be affected by scams are Yorkshire terriers, blue Staffordshire bull terriers, rottweilers and Pomeranians.

Meanwhile for cats, the breeds for pet owners to be wary about are Maine Coons, ragdolls and sphynxes.

How do scammers target people with fake pet adverts on Facebook and Instagram?

The most common tactic used by fraudsters is fake adverts posted on Facebook or Instagram where the potential pet simply doesn’t exist, Lloyds Bank explains.

Scammers keep tabs on which breeds are in high demand, taking photos from the internet and sharing false information about the animal – such as parentage or medical information which creates the appearance of authenticity.

At first, the scammer may appear to follow the steps of a reputable seller – by agreeing to a viewing of the pet in its home environment, or with its mother.

Lloyds Banks said: “It won’t be long before this is replaced by excuses and constant pressure to make a payment prior to a visit. This can be for the full amount, or a deposit.

“As soon as money has been sent, the advert and scammer will disappear, sometimes after plucking the address of an innocent third party out of thin air – ensuring a wasted trip for the victim, alongside the stolen funds.”

Liz Ziegler, fraud prevention director at Lloyds Bank said: “Owning a pet is one of the great joys of life, becoming true companions and part of our families. Fraudsters know this and – as always – are ready to take advantage, preying on people’s desire to add another family member to the home.

Bromsgrove Advertiser: Have you been the victim of a pet scam?Have you been the victim of a pet scam? (Image: Canva)

“It is infuriatingly simple for a fraudster to upload a fake advert to an online marketplace for an animal that doesn’t exist, not to mention those posted by appalling disreputable breeders whose interests lie firmly in profit, rather than animal welfare.

“Social media companies are making money from these criminals, and those searching for a pet are left heartbroken twice. Once by the loss of hundreds, or even thousands, of pounds, but also by the realisation and disappointment that a pet won’t be joining the family after all.”

A Meta spokesperson said: “We don't allow the sale of animals on our platforms and we remove this content when we become aware of it. This is an industry-wide issue and scammers are using increasingly sophisticated methods to defraud people in a range of ways including email, SMS and offline.

“We don’t want anyone to fall victim to these criminals which is why our platforms already have systems to block scams, financial services advertisers now have to be FCA authorised to target UK users and we run consumer awareness campaigns on how to spot fraudulent behaviour.

“People can also report this content in a few simple clicks and we work with the police to support their investigations.”