In recent days, Ibiza has become the scene of an international scam involving the supposed gift of a Maltese bichon. However, this modality of fraud is not exclusive to the Island: similar cases have also been reported in Chile and Lithuania, among other countries, with the same pattern and the same images used in misleading publications.
The scam strategy
It all starts with a touching announcement in Facebook groups, where supposed owners claim that, for personal or family reasons, they have to give away a puppy. The excuse is usually a move to another country, lack of time to care for it or the recent loss of a family member. In the case of Ibiza, the dog’s name was Praline, and the story pointed to a move to Paris, as can be seen in the conversations analyzed by La Voz de Ibiza. The initial hook is attractive: a purebred puppy, such as a Maltese bichon, completely free of charge. But when the victims show interest, the scammers start demanding payments under various pretexts. Communication via Facebook Messenger showed how the scammers guide the victims step by step to gain their trust. This media outlet covertly contacted the perpetrators, who unknowingly revealed their modus operandi in detail.
Repetition of fraud in other countries
What is most alarming about this scam is its global nature. The same images of the puppy and the same stories have appeared in other countries, with slight variations. In a May 2, 2023 posting in Chile, the purported owner narrated that the puppy’s mother had passed away and they did not have time to care for it. In Lithuania, a similar posting on May 31 showed the same dog and offered the Maltese bichon as “vaccinated and microchipped”, inviting interested parties to write by private message.
Both publications, despite being in different languages, coincide in the use of the same photograph and in the emotional story that seeks to arouse the reader’s trust. The viralization of these ads and the quick reaction of the scammers to block profiles when they are discovered show the sophistication of the scheme.
A fraud that is not new
Although the case of the Maltese bichon in Ibiza has once again put this fraud in the spotlight, the modality is not recent. In 2015, the Delta Cargo portal already warned about similar scams in which supposed owners offered to send pets from one country to another, demanding upfront payments to cover false “shipping costs”. According to the report, the scam is based on the creation of fake shipping companies and the use of fraudulent emails, similar to those that have been reported in Ibiza today.
A global fraud with local consequences
In the Ibiza case, investigations revealed how the scammers manage to connect emotionally with their victims, using detailed accounts and real photos of puppies. The international focus of the fraud and the repetition of the same images in different countries demonstrates the extensive organized network behind these scams. The recommendation for residents of Ibiza and other parts of the world is clear: be wary of overly generous postings and avoid sending money in advance. Any offer involving prepaid voucher payments or unsecured bank transfers should be considered suspicious.
