Is this a scam? (German Shepherd puppies)

Hello, I'm new here! Yesterday, I was just searching for puppies on oodle locally (no intention in buying a dog from oodle) and I found this ad for free German Shepherd puppies in the town that was very very close. The description said for more info, "kindly text or call ---". I called using my Google number (no one picked up) asking for details and pictures and got a text back this morning at 7.

The text said " Hi, this is the owner of the German Shepherd puppies you contacted, can you get back and me right away with your email address for more details and pics. Thank you and God Bless you". Her story was that she was leaving to go into intensive care for 3 months after having ear surgery and would have no time to take care of them. She also included a *lot* of pictures, including some of her daughter holding the puppy (she had one male and one female). Her email also included a questionnaire like:

are you married?
how old are you?
where are you located? etc

She also included info of the puppies:

AKC registered
Up to date on shots
Micro chipped
Insured
Vet checked and confirmed
Has all papers

After a few texts, she apologized that the ad said the local town's name instead of where she really lived (in Tennessee). I started to kindly refuse, but she offered to ship him to me right to my house (is that even possible)? I looked up pet delivery scams online and many stories said they would not get a response after asking what services. I asked and she said "uship or happytails".

I searched them up and neither of them are even located in TN! She also said I would have to pay for the flight and home delivery directly to the delivery agency ($165, would take 5-6 hours) after she would register the puppy, but i continued to kindly refuse and she said "all i want for the pup is just a good home and i really do not care where i find one okay. is it that you can not afford the money or what?" (I also noticed she said okay a lot) I responded by saying $165 was a little too expensive and she replied saying "don't bother, how much can you afford? i am doing this for the puppy because i have to be in intensive unit maybe tomorrow or next."

What does everyone here think? Of course I wasn't actually going to pay or "buy" a puppy online, but I just want to know what everyone thinks.

[AlanJones]

A definite scam.

Can you post the email address(es) used and some of the mails that "she" sent.

A definite scam.

Can you post the email address(es) used and some of the mails that "she" sent.

Sure! [email protected]

Also, I'm not sure why, but in the subject of the email, these random letters were before the actual subject: hfpkk Avaialable pics of German Shepherd

I also just texted asking to see the puppy's "papers". Let's see if she responds to that!

I'll post some of the texts, because they were the main way of communcation:

the reason why i am giving the pups out is because i have been very sick for some time now and it has affected my ears, i cant hear so i was called up two days ago for my surgical check up, so i will have to be travelling may be tomorrow or Monday and will be in intensive unit for 3 months. i do not have anyone to look after them while i am away 8:05 AM

i can have the pup delivered to you at your home address okay.
This was after I started to kindly refuse

Then came...
you dont have to bother because i just relocated to Clarksville, TN from Richmond, VA and the dogs where shipped without any stress okay. so am gonna use the same service to send you the pup okay

yea it is a thing of about 5 to 6 hours flight and home delivery okay, so the pup can be delivered to your home address today okay.

The pictures looked pretty legit, if anyone wants to see.

The pictures looked pretty legit, if anyone wants to see.

The pet scammers often copy images from legitimate breeders and then claim they have the puppies.

She is in neither Tennessee nor Virginia. She is in Africa. The ear surgery is an excuse to not use the telephone, because if you talked with her on the phone, you would recognize her accent as un-American.

Besides a scammer, she is also a spammer. That's what the random letters are for.

you would recognize her accent as un-American.

...and "her" voice as very un-feminine, since "she" is far more likely to really be a male.

As VX said, the scammer is located in Africa. The English confirms that much--there are certain mistakes that are common in African English, and he makes them. Like many African scammers, he also makes ridiculous claims like this one

i cant hear so i was called up two days ago for my surgical check up, so i will have to be travelling may be tomorrow or Monday and will be in intensive unit for 3 months.

Intensive care for 3 months after ear surgery? Only in the imaginary world of the African scammer.

There are literally thousands of these scam ads on every classified site on the internet, and even some in local papers. The African scammers behind these scams simply find legitimate breeder websites and copy large numbers of their photos. They then post dozens of ads for free or reduced-cost puppies. They send the copied photos to anyone who responds to their ads, giving some story as to why they are far away and must ship the puppies. If the victim falls for the scam, they will be sent to a fake shipping company (really the scammer or an accomplice) and instructed to send money. The scammer will collect the shipping fee, then he will either disappear or if he thinks he can get more out of the victim, he will demand more fees (for insurance, medical certificates, special crates, whatever reason he can think of.) In the end, the scammer ends up with all the cash, while the buyer ends up with nothing.

The best way to stay safe is to stick with a local breeder (or better yet, shelter or rescue) and make sure you see the dog, in person, before any money changes hands.