Findlay man warns others after falling victim to Facebook puppy sale scam - WTOL

Many scammers use stock photos of dogs they don't actually own.

FINDLAY, Ohio — A Findlay man has a warning for anyone looking to buy a puppy through Facebook after he fell victim to a scam and lost hundreds of dollars.

Last week, Devin Lucius, of Findlay, came across a post for boxer puppies for sale in the Cleveland area on a garage sale page on Facebook. He contacted a woman named Stecy Menyana whose profile looked legitimate.

Menyana sent him pictures of a female puppy and Lucius agreed to a deal.

"I sent them the initial $200 and they're like, 'Well this isn't my account and it's my boyfriend's or husband's friends account. They're in charge of this. We need the other $300,'" Lucius said.

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Lucius sent $500 total, which included delivery of the puppy, via Cash App and Zelle to a man named Mohamad Njie.

Lucius said red flags were raised when Menyana wouldn't give him a phone number or home address, but she said the puppy would be delivered to him that night. Until it wasn't.

"They messaged me and said they got pulled over and one of the friends with them had drugs on them and there's a mishap with police in that area," Lucius said.

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Menyana demanded another $300 for insurance for the dog which Lucius refused to pay. He demanded his money back or the puppy or he was going to start the legal process. 

Menyana replied, "Mohammad did drugs and was caught by the police. They have your details as well and you might be involved in this somehow if I don't get my insurance policy. It's for your own good."

According to police, Menyana appeared to be a fake profile on Facebook and they couldn't find any information about a Mohammad Njie.

"Do some checking, especially on home or business addresses. [Reputable breeders] provide those," said Ryan Doe, a spokesperson for the Findlay Police Department. "A lot of times the scammers want to avoid face-to-face contact and that should be a big red flag as well."

According to the American Kennel Club, some other common red flags are if the seller does not want to communicate via phone or video chat, the seller uses copycat or stock photos of the animals, the seller asks for wiring of money or payment by gift cards, and if the price is too good to be true, it's more than likely fraud. 

Lucius is working with his bank to try to get his money back. The good news is he bought a real puppy from a reputable breeder. 

He's encouraging buyers to trust their gut. 

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