“Is This a Bird Scam?”
How to Spot (and Avoid) a Bird Scam
Hello,
I met a lady online who is willing to sell me her pet parrot. She asked me to wire her some money so she could send the parrot to Puerto Rico through a pet transport agency.
The thing is that I don't know if what we're doing is legal, if we're taking the right steps or if she needs to get some permits first.
If you could help me with these issues I would appreciate it a lot.
Thanks,
R
Hello,
Thanks for contacting us. We can say with near certainty that this is a scam, and in fact there is no bird. This woman is trying to steal money from you (asking you to wire the money is a big red flag). You should cut off contact with her and certainly don't send her a payment.
Transporting birds internationally is a very complex process that requires quite a bit of paperwork and careful preparation. Most instances you'll find online of people selling a bird and asking the seller to pay a transportation fee are not legitimate. If you do want to add a bird to your life, proceed carefully and only deal locally.
Please read more about bird scams here and let us know if you have any questions. Pet scams are unfortunately pretty common (just take a look at this puppy scam blog post and the hundreds of comments it has gathered over the years), so it's important to educate yourself and watch out for warning signs.
Good luck!
Pet Transport Question Details:
Name: R
Number of Pets: One
Pet Type: Bird
Pet Breed: Macaw
From: USA
To: Puerto Rico