Planning to bring a new puppy or other pet into the family this holiday season?

Before you send money for that irresistible pup, just make sure you’re not walking into a scam.

Kate Tubesing works for an animal rescue, Paw printsconnecting abandoned dogs with new families.

But in the course of her job, she’s also encountered too many heartbroken people who have fallen for an online puppy scam.

His advice: Don’t buy a dog based on a photo you find online from a so-called breeder.

“No, no,” she said. “Ask for videos. Ask for proof. If you have Facetime opportunities, do it.”

Victim shares how she was scammed

Bridget Huddleston became one of those victims almost two years ago, around Christmas.

“I was on Facebook, looking for a little pocket puppy,” Huddleston told us.

She sent hundreds of dollars to buy a blonde Yorkie puppy that was supposedly from a breeder hundreds of miles away.

The breeder told her he would ship the puppy and even gave her a flight number.

But when she arrived at the airport to pick him up, there was no dog.

“The man told me I had no idea what you were talking about, that there were no animals here,” Huddleston said.

How scammers are so effective

Melanie McGovern from Business Improvement Officesays scammers go to great lengths to gain your trust.

“They’ll create a fake website, they’ll find pictures of animals, mostly of highly sought-after breeds,” McGovern said.

“They’re offering them ridiculously low prices. In some cases, they may have stolen video of these puppies from legitimate websites.”

After paying an initial deposit, McGovern says scammers may ask for more money for special crates or shipping fees.

“By the time you make $6,000 to $7,000, there’s no more animal,” McGovern said.

McGovern says legitimate breeders have waiting lists that last months or even years.

They charge fair market value and do not offer puppies at discounted prices.

And, she said, they usually have an application process.

Kate Tubesing’s advice: try to keep your emotions in check.

“It’s really hard once you set your heart on something, and sometimes the heart is good,” Tubesing said. “But sometimes the brain needs to be involved too.”

She says to see the dog in person, or chat on Facetime, and look for online reviews of that seller.

This way you don’t waste your money.

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