It’s hard to resist those giant paws and puppy eyes, but each year unsuspecting consumers end up getting duped into buying bogus pets from unscrupulous cons. According to the Better Business Bureau, pet adoption scams surge this time of year, leaving families broken hearted during the holidays.

Consumers all over the country have lost hundreds, even thousands of dollars on these scams.

Watch for the following red flags:

• Poor grammar and misspellings. Many pet scams originate overseas, so scammers may not have a good grasp of the English language.

• Wiring money. Wiring cash to an unknown person is asking for trouble. Once the transaction is complete, it is next to impossible to get money back.

• Too good to be true deals. Be wary of any ads offering exotic or rare breeds for low prices or for free.

• Pay for transport. Be wary of pet sellers requesting upfront shipping costs for a third-party transport company.

• Communication. Steer clear of sellers that will only communicate by email or text, but not by phone.

• Immediacy. Avoid high pressure sales tactics. Emails from pet scammers often indicate that funds must be sent immediately if the pet is to make the flight departure time.

Finally, consider adopting pets locally in order to see the animal before acquiring.