Send a deposit or full payment in a payment form where you have some recourse, if the seller does not send you a kitten in the agreed upon time frame. Payments sent through Paypal or your credit/debit cards offer you the ability to file a complaint through the company and get your money back if the seller was a scammer and does not send you a kitten. Payments sent by wire transfer, money grams, green dot cards, prepaid money cards, checks, money orders, etc, have no recourse once you send it to the seller. A scammer will insist on a payment form that has no recourse because they can just take your money and disappear. Usually the scammers are out of state or out of the country and the amounts are small enough that the police or FBI can't really do anything to get your money back. At Wildtrax, we accept a deposit by paypal, credit or debit cards, or money orders to reserve the ktiten, and we tell you at that time what date your kitten will be ready to go home with you. Your remaining balance is not due until that ready date and we can meet in person and you pick up your kitten. Breeders who offer shipping will require full payment before the kitten ships, and in that case paying by Paypal or Credit/Debit card would be the safest option unless you have done your homework and are sure the breeder is reputable and legit, and really has the kitten you think you are buying. In that case, you should be safe to send a money order, wire transfer, or cashiers check.

Before you spend any money on a cat, especially if the breeder has no website and you found them on a classified site or newspaper, be sure to do your research about the person and cattery to make sure they really exist. GOOGLE the person's phone number or email address...if they are a legitimate breeder, you will get something back in the search results that confirms this. There are entire online classified websites that are nothing but scams to steal your money.

Buy your pedigree cat from an established breeder that has been around a while. Any breeder that has invested a lot of money into quality healhty breeding cats will also invest in a website, usually will be listed on at least one or more paid online breeding listings, in legitimate print magazines like CAT FANCY, and do not rely on free online classified websites or newspaper classified advertising alone. Google the person or cattery. Look them up on Facebook. Make sure they exist in real life. One online breeder listing website that is legitimate for bengal breeders is http://www.bengalbreed.com/public/index.php This website only allows listing by references of other breeders so everyone listed should actually exist.

You should research your selected breed and visit various websites for that breed, so that you have a good base knowledge about the breed and about general price range of your breed. If you find an ad where the price of the cat and quality of the cat are TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, THEN IT IS! Some of my own breeder friends' photos have been stolen of very nice show quality cats, worth well over $1000s, but scammers advertised these same cats for as little as $200-250. If you see an ad for a show quality cat, like the ones you see in magazines, for a very small amount of money, then this is a RED FLAG of a possible scam. Trust your instincts. No one is giving away top show quality cats at rock bottom prices.