Alexandria woman scammed trying to buy puppy on Facebook

Published October 14, 2021 at 10:30AM

An Alexandria woman looking to buy a puppy was scammed by a Facebook contact who blocked her after she made a deposit, according to police.

On September 17, the victim agreed on buying a puppy from a Facebook friend for $300. The victim provided $175 as a deposit via Cash App, but when she went to pick up the puppy at the agreed location the suspect allegedly blocked the buyer on Facebook.

“(The suspect) never responded and (the victim) was not refunded the $175,” police reported in a search warrant.

No arrest has been made.

Over the summer, Alexandria Police also investigated a woman scammed of $15,000 by a Facebook friend.

⚠️🚨Scammers will do anything to get your money.💲 Here are some tips to help you protect yourself.#ScamAlert pic.twitter.com/9bJtlAumfU

— Alexandria Police (@AlexandriaVAPD) August 20, 2021

About the Author

James Cullum

Reporter James Cullum has spent nearly 20 years covering Northern Virginia. He began working with ALXnow in 2020, and has covered every story under the sun for the publication, from investigative stories to features and photo galleries. His work includes coverage of national and international situations, as well as from the White House, Capitol, Pentagon, Supreme Court and State Department. He's covered protests and riots throughout the U.S. (including the Jan. 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol), in addition to earthquake-ridden Haiti, Western Sahara in North Africa and war-torn South Sudan. He has photographed presidents and other world leaders, celebrities and famous musicians, and excels under pressure.