AKC says they receive over 10,000 complaints every year about scammers.  Many of our clients have told us the horrible stories of how they’ve been scammed.  We feel as a licensed, reputable breeder (for nearly 30 years), it is our duty to help our potential clients be aware of what to look for when purchasing a puppy, even if they choose not to buy from us. Good Westie breeders with sound genetics are a challenge to find. Do your homework first!

  - Look for broken English or poor grammar in emails and website content
  - A reputable breeder will be available to speak by phone!!
  - Scammers prefer email communication only
  - Check to see if they are licensed by their state (not all states require this - but they should)
  - Ask for contact information about their vet, if in doubt, call the vet to see if they are a client
  - Be on guard if they only want payment in advance and don’t offer you a cash option when you pick up the puppy  
  - Scammers offer "shipping" only to get your puppy, (some breeders ship as well) so this one is tricky
  - Do a reverse image search to see if they’ve stolen photos from an actual breeder's website… check this link: https://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+do+a+reverse+image+search&oq=how+to+do+a+reverse&aqs=chrome.0.0i512j69i57j0i512l8.6936j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
    - Don’t fall for requests to wire money, or use a cash app, or a gift card to purchase a puppy, you won’t be able to get your money back if you’ve been scammed.  
  - Check standing with AKC.  Ask for the litter registration number and call AKC to verify.
  - Don’t pay for or accept a puppy that does not have AKC papers ready at the time of picking up the puppy. Undocumented puppies may be stolen!
  - High-pressure sales or insisting that you send money right away is a red flag.
  -  If you find two websites with the exact same wording or content, most likely one of them is a scammer.  Scammers always copy their content from a legitimate website.

- Several scammers pay for sponsored ads (on google searches) to put their listing on the first page ahead of established legitimate breeders with many years of experience.

 - Quality Westie breeders that have a website should have photos of themselves on the site. Ask to have a short video phone call to verify their identity.