TROY, Mich. – A Troy resident was scammed out of thousands of dollars while trying to buy Shih Tzu dogs online, officials said.
On Aug. 27, a resident on Jackson Drive was looking to buy two Shih Tzu dogs and ended up on a website called “Fur Shih Tzu Puppies.” The resident agreed to buy two dogs and sent $1,450 to a Gmail account through Zelle, via Bank of America, according to authorities.
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The dogs were supposed to be sent from Helena, Montana, police said.
Two days later, the Troy resident was contacted by a different email address, this time asking for an additional $2,000 for dog crates, according to police. Officials said the sender claimed to be from Sky West Airlines.
The Troy resident paid the money and was given a tracking number of a flight, authorities said.
The victim was later contacted by a third email account -- another Gmail -- asking for an additional $1,000, police said. Bank of America recognized that email as being associated with a scam and stopped the transaction, Troy police said.
Overall, the resident was scammed out of $3,450, officials said.
