How to avoid pet scams

Most people you'll meet through The nØkill Network are exactly who they say they are: someone looking for a pet, or someone looking for the right home for one. A few scammers target pet listings, though, and they follow the same handful of scripts. Once you know them, they're easy to spot.

How we help

Your email stays private. Owners' email addresses aren't shown on pet pages. People contact you through the site, and they only see your email address if you reply.
We check messages before passing them on. Messages that look like the scams below are held for our team to review instead of being sent: asking for shipping, courier or "pet transport" fees, payment by wire transfer, gift card or crypto, "I'm overseas" stories, links to other websites, asking for a verification code, or one person writing about lots of pets at once.
You can report anything that looks wrong. Owners can report a message as suspicious from their account. Anyone can use "Report this listing" at the bottom of a pet's page. Our team reviews every report and removes scam listings.

If you're rehoming a pet: scams to watch for

"Can you send me the code?" Someone asks you to read back a code that was just texted to your phone. That code lets them take over your phone number or one of your accounts. Never share a code sent to your phone, with anyone.
The overpayment. They send a check or transfer for more than you asked, then ask you to send back the difference. Their payment bounces days later, and your money is gone.
The far-away adopter. They're overseas, deployed, at sea or on a mission trip, and want your pet shipped by their "agent" or transport company. Real adopters come to meet the pet.
People who won't meet or talk. No phone call, no video, only email or text, and a rush to settle things today. A real adopter wants to meet your pet before committing.

If you're adopting: scams to watch for

Pay first, and the pet never arrives. You're asked for a deposit, "shipping", insurance, a crate or vaccinations for a pet you haven't met. After you pay, there's another fee, and then silence. A genuine owner lets you meet the pet before any money changes hands.
Too good to be true. A purebred puppy for free or very little, professional-looking photos, a seller who is always just out of town. A reverse image search often shows the same photos on other sites.
Pressure and stories. "Other families are waiting", a sad reason why you can't meet, or a request to pay by gift card, wire transfer or crypto.

If your pet is lost: scams to watch for

The reward-first finder. Someone says they have your pet and wants the reward, or money for "food and vet bills", sent before you can see your pet. Ask for a photo of your pet taken today, or a detail you left out of your report, and only ever hand over a reward in person, with your pet in front of you.
The code trick, again. Someone who "found" your pet asks you to read back a code sent to your phone to "prove it's you". It's the same scam: never share the code.
Meet safely. Meet somewhere public, and bring a friend.

Simple rules that stop almost every scam

Meet the pet, and the person, before any money changes hands.
Never pay by wire transfer, gift card, crypto or a payment app to someone you haven't met.
Never share a code sent to your phone.
Keep talking through our messages until you're comfortable.
Trust your instincts. If something feels off, it's fine to stop replying.

If something feels wrong

Stop replying; you don't owe anyone an explanation. If you're an owner, report the message from your account. If it's a listing, use "Report this listing" at the bottom of the pet's page, or contact us. If you've already sent money or shared a code, call your bank straight away and report it to your local police.

More help: How to screen an adopter safely · How to rehome a pet responsibly