A DOG owner says she has had her puppy 'stolen' after two men came to her property with the intention of purchasing it and took the pooch without paying.
Emma Jessop who lives in Buckshaw Village near Chorley, had five month old miniature dachshund, Bella, up for sale for £1,300.
She allowed two men into her property on Sunday to come and view the pup, and said that while the men where in the house, they pulled out a tablet.
She said they asked her to enter her bank details in a 'banking app' so they could deposit the money, an agreed amount of £1,250, in her account.
However, after leaving with Bella, Ms Jessop found no money had been deposited into her account and realised her puppy had effectively been 'stolen'.
She also believes the incident is not a one off and said around four or five people in the Chorley area had experienced the same issue recently, including a family who had two pomeranian pups taken and a person who had two red cavapoo pups 'stolen'.
The mum-of-one said: "There's been about four or five of us that's had this happen to us.
"The men, who are travellers, they come to the house and stay about 30 minutes and then make it look like they have paid via a banking app on a tablet, but the banking app isn't real, it's fake.
"So they've come in and taken the puppy and gone off with it.
"I just don't want my dog in the wrong hands."
Ms Jessop believes the men will now try and sell Bella for cash and said she has phoned the police.
She also posted on social media making an impassioned plea for help to try and find her dog, as well as posting in several Facebook groups to warn others about the scam.
She said: "Today at 8pm Bella was stolen by two males that came to the property.
"If anyone sees her online for sale please contact me. She’s five months old and I hope she bites their ******** off.
"The police have been informed and I’m trying to let the chip company know she’s been stolen."
Ms Jessop said similar scams have also taken place across the North West after she saw an article about a man who had been conned out of £5,000 when trying to sell two Bichon Frise puppies.
In this case, a 'fake' banking app was again used with no money transferred to the man.
Ms Jessop is now offering a £1,000 reward to anyone who can help bring Bella back home.
She added: "I’m making some flyers and I’m going to be offering a reward of £1,000.
"These flyers will be placed all over Chorley and Leyland and around the travellers sites so hopefully someone will give her up if they can get some form of reward.
"All I want is my little girl out of the wrong hands and it sickens me what conditions she might be in right now.
"Please share so I can do all I can to get Bella back home."
Anyone with information is asked to contact the police by calling 101.
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