Hilton Head Island man wanted a puppy; he got scammed instead

A Hilton Head Island resident searching for man’s best friend became his own worst enemy after he was duped by scammer posing as a puppy seller.

The man wanted to surprise his girlfriend with a Yorkie puppy for Christmas and found a Maryland-based seller online, according to a Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office report released Friday.

“This company assured (the Hilton Head Island man) they would deliver the Yorkie puppy to the front door his residence if he sent them $550 through Western Union” to an address in Washington, the report said.

The man sent the money.

No puppy arrived at his doorstep.

He contacted the company via email and was told to send more money to “cover expenses” such as vaccinations and a cage to transport the pup, according to the report.

Over a ten day period late last year, the man sent a total of $2,650 to the scammer — about half going to the Washington address and half going to an address in Dallas.

But, still “he did not receive the puppy,” the report said.

Deputies provided the man with information on how to report internet crime and recommended he contact law enforcement in Maryland and Texas.

A deputy also “research(ed) the website from which (the victim) attempted to a purchase the puppy and observed numerous other reports that it was a scam website,” according to the report.

This story was originally published January 13, 2017 at 1:26 PM with the headline "Hilton Head Island man wanted a puppy; he got scammed instead."