Avoiding holiday pet scams

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Here's a new alert and quick tip about pet scams. before you decide to buy a furry friend for a loved one this holiday season.

The Better Business Bureau says it estimates that as many as 80 percent of online pet advertisements may be fake. The BBB says the average consumer loses about $850 to the scam.

Fake pictures of pets can reel in victims. To avoid these pet scams, do a reverse image search of the photo, to see if that picture is being reused in other ads. You should always meet in person or at the very least, virtually, before paying for a pet someone is selling online.

Research the seller first and only buy pets from reputable dealers. Consider visiting a local animal shelter for a pet you can meet, before adopting