**ATTENTION FELLOW BULLDOG LOVERS**
IF YOU ARE IN THE MARKET FOR A BULLDOG, PLEASE BE SURE TO READ THIS WHOLE PAGE FIRST!!!
I have just experienced a horrible scam attempt in the bulldog world and I felt compelled to run to the computer and warn you. I, like you, am in the market for a new bulldog. So, I, like you, have been doing some serious online shopping for one. I came across an interesting ad on a pet classified site, so I sent an inquiry. The price of the bulldog was WAY below average, and I was more than a little curious as to why. I received an e-mail response with some pictures. The woman, "Mary Hernadez", gave her phone number and a bunch of information about the dog. AKC registered, vet checked, health guarantee, everything. I replied and asked if she had a female available. She sent me some pictures and said that was the female she had available. I replied and asked her where she was located so I could Mapquest her and find out how long it would take to drive there. In her original ad, she stated she was from Houston, TX. When I looked up her number on Switchboard.com, it came up unlisted but gave a county location and the name of the phone company servicing the number, which also turned out to be in TX. Her response to my reply was a request for me to call her so she felt more comfortable. I did. Well, after several "strange" sounding rings, she answered. I explained I was just exchanging e-mails with her and she asked who I was and where I was from, as she'd been responding to a ton of people. I told her. Then, I reminded her that I had just sent her a message asking her location so I could use Mapquest and find out how far away she was. She told me she was in Akron, Ohio. HUH?!?! I said, "Oh, I thought you were in TX. That's what your ad said." She said no. Definitely not TX. I said that was too far to drive (she agreed), and therefore, how would I pay for the puppy so she can be shipped. She informed me that she ONLY accepted payment via MoneyGram. I told her I was not familiar with MoneyGram and she advised me I could go to any Wal Mart to use the service and that she would send me an e-mail about it. I said thanks, that would be great. She immediately had to get off the phone to pick up her daughter and advised me she would send this information later about the MoneyGram. She did in fact send the information about the MoneyGram. The subject line of the e-mail says "re: female english bulldog" because what we'd been discussing was the purchase of the female. But, all the information she sent regarding the MoneyGram transaction was about purchasing the male pup Ricky and how cute he is and how happy we'll be. Folks, let me just tell you this: NO ONE is going to sell a Bulldog puppy for $900...NO ONE! And, a legitimate breeder is not going to accept ONLY MoneyGram or WesternUnion, or any other untraceable means of payment. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE.......BE CAREFUL. Ask questions. Make a phone call to the seller. Insist on seeing the puppy in person. Do whatever you must to make sure you do not fall victim to this sort of scam.