Surely the furry and cuddly section of Craigslist is free of worldly evils? Guess again.
Last year, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an official warning about a swindle that one site has informally dubbed the Cameroon Pet Scam, explaining, "Typically, the person offering the animal for adoption lives in another country and claims to be looking for a good home for the animal. Victims pay shipping fees up front but never receive the animal."
Another con involves supposedly "rescuing" dogs or cats, often from an animal shelter, and then selling them for a profit on the site. According to one account, a family put their dog up for a free adoption directly via Craigslist. The very next day, they got a call from a woman who had purchased the dog for a $100 fee (also via the site) but then tracked down the original owners after noticing discrepancies on the veterinary papers.
The lesson: Craigslist is not the ASPCA. Make sure to get paperwork and documentation. Or just go to the ASPCA.