30 Maine Coon Cat Scams: How Fraudsters Steal Your Money (And How To Stop Them)
Maine Coons are among the most sought-after cats in the world. With their lion-like ruffs, tufted ears, and famously gentle personalities, it’s no wonder demand for these cats is sky-high.
Sadly, this popularity has also created the perfect breeding ground for scammers who exploit the hopes of loving owners.
Every week, desperate buyers hand over deposits, shipping fees, and “insurance” costs, only to realize too late that their dream kitten never existed. Others end up with sick or mixed-breed kittens sold under false pretenses.
This article exposes the most common Maine Coon cat scams, explains how each one works, and shows you the red flags you should never ignore.
Common Maine Coon Cat Scams
1. “Bargain” Kitten: Too-Good-To-Be-True Price
The listing advertises a “purebred Maine Coon” for a few hundred dollars when reputable breeders charge much more. The seller emphasizes urgency (“three buyers lined up”) to push a quick deposit.
Why it’s a scam: Unrealistic pricing is classic bait. It short-circuits caution because you feel you’ve discovered a rare deal. Once paid, you either get nothing, get upsold endlessly, or receive a cat that isn’t a Maine Coon.
2. Foreign Wire / Crypto-Only Payments
The seller claims the kitten is overseas or that “their accountant only takes bank wires/crypto”. They provide IBANs, wallet addresses, or QR codes and refuse buyer-protected methods.
Why it’s a scam: Irreversible rails remove your recourse. If the kitten never appears, there’s no practical way to claw funds back or even confirm who received them.
3. Non-Refundable Deposit – Then “Surprise” Fees
After a small, “non-refundable” reservation, the seller drips in new costs:
- Shipping insurance
- Climate crates
- Quarantine
- Paperwork release
You’re warned that you’ll forfeit the deposit if you don’t pay.
Why it’s a scam: It weaponizes the sunk-cost fallacy. You keep paying because you’ve already invested, even as the story stops making sense.
4. Fake Shipping With Climate-Controlled Crates
A supposed transporter or “airline partner” emails you with an invoice for a specialised, climate-controlled crate or “temperature insurance.”
The breeder insists you pay the shipper directly – quickly.
Why it’s a scam: The shipper is fictitious or complicit. The props (logos, PDFs) look official, but the contact numbers and websites trace back to the scammer.
5. “Airline Won’t Release Without Extra Insurance”
Mid-shipment, you’re told the airline suddenly requires a:
- Refundable insurance bond
- Oxygenated carrier
- Anti-stress injection fee
You must pay now, or the kitten is “held.”
Why it’s a scam: Real airlines don’t demand ad-hoc cash via WhatsApp or gift cards. The emergency drama is pressure-cooking you into sending more.
6. Stock Photos / Stolen Imagery
The listing uses studio-quality photos lifted from Google, Pinterest, or real breeders. When challenged, the seller dodges requests for new, contextual images.
Why it’s a scam: The depicted kitten doesn’t belong to them (and may not exist). If they can’t produce fresh, in-home photos on request, there is no kitten to sell.
7. No Live Video With The Kitten
The seller avoids FaceTime/Zoom, citing “poor Wi-Fi” “privacy”, or “stress to kittens”.
They offer prerecorded clips that never show the date, the mother, or their kitten’s face.
Why it’s a scam: Live video is the fastest authenticity check. Refusal is a strong indicator that they don’t have the animals they claim.
8. No Photos/Video Of The Parents
You get only close-cropped kitten shots. Requests to see the parents are deflected (“not present,” “at the vet”).
Why it’s a scam: Real breeders are proud to show parents. Hiding them prevents you from spotting non-Maine Coon traits or poor conditions.
9. Inconsistent Backgrounds / Different Kittens
“The same kitten” appears on different flooring, furniture, and lighting, sometimes with pattern or eye-color changes that don’t match.
Why it’s a scam: Images are scraped from various sources. The seller stitches a gallery of random cats to manufacture credibility.
10. Meet-In-Car-Park Only / No Home Visits
The seller refuses a home visit “for biosecurity” and insists on roadside handoffs or courier-only delivery.
Why it’s a scam: It prevents you from verifying living conditions, parent cats, or even the existence of the kitten until after you’ve paid.
11. A Fresh Facebook/Instagram Page
The “cattery” has a page created weeks ago, with a handful of generic posts and comments from obvious sockpuppets.
Why it’s a scam: Scammers churn throwaway pages. A lack of multi-year history, tagged buyers, or ongoing litter updates screams risk.
12. No Website Or Brand-New, Owner-Hidden Domain
Either there’s no website, or it’s newly registered with privacy masking and no traceable owner info.
Why it’s a scam: Disposable websites are easy to abandon after cashing deposits. Hidden owners avoid accountability.
13. Fake CFA/TICA Membership
The seller claims to be CFA/TICA-registered but supplies no verifiable cattery prefix or mismatched numbers.
Why it’s a scam: False affiliation is borrowed legitimacy. Without matching records, the claim is meaningless.
14. “Papers After Payment/Neuter”
You’re promised pedigree papers will be mailed after you pay in full or after you provide neuter proof. The envelope never arrives.
Why it’s a scam: You pay pedigree prices without any documentary proof. Once funds clear, your leverage evaporates.
15. Too Many Litters, All The Time
The seller “always” has multiple litters available and an endless stream of “ready this week” kittens.
Why it’s a scam (or unethical mill): High, constant output is incompatible with responsible breeding and socialisation. It’s either a mill, a reseller, or a photo farm.
16. The “Free Kitten, Just Pay Shipping” Sob Story
A heart-tugging narrative (bereavement, allergies, urgent move) ends with “she’s free if you cover shipping”.
Why it’s a scam: The story disarms scrutiny. Shipping money is the target; there is no kitten to send.
17. Buy-It-Now Buttons & Countdown Timers
The page mimics e-commerce, pushing instant checkout and timers that threaten loss if you don’t act.
Why it’s a scam: Ethical breeders don’t sell pedigree animals like gadgets. The rush is there to prevent due diligence.
18. Hostility When You Ask Routine Questions
Queries about vaccine dates, diet, socialisation, genetic testing, or parent ages trigger evasive or aggressive replies.
Why it’s a scam: Scammers can’t produce specifics or documents that withstand verification, so they shut down the conversation.
19. Forged Vet Records & Pretty PDFs
You’re sent polished vaccination cards or health certificates with inconsistent fonts, dates, or clinic details that fail verification calls.
Why it’s a scam: The documentation is decorative, not authentic. It exists to nudge you past payment hesitation.
20. “Safe Escrow” The Seller Recommends
The breeder points you to an escrow platform you’ve never heard of. It looks legitimate but is controlled by the scammer.
Why it’s a scam: You think funds are protected, but release rules are rigged. Once money enters, it’s effectively gone.
21. Courier-Only Policy – “No Visitors Ever”
The seller bans visits and even video walk-throughs, citing disease control, insurance, or “we’re too busy.”
Why it’s a scam: Total opacity benefits only the seller. If you can’t view kittens live in any form, there’s a reason.
22. Last-Minute Bait-And-Switch
Your chosen kitten “fell ill/was reserved”, but a “similar” one is available – send the balance now to avoid losing your slot.
Why it’s a scam: They never had the original kitten. The switch exploits your emotional investment and deposit to push anything (or nothing).
23. Adult “Rehome” That Isn’t A Maine Coon
An unpapered adult cat with long hair is marketed as a purebred Maine Coon to justify a higher fee.
Why it’s a scam: It’s misrepresentation. Without provenance, you’re paying pedigree rates for an unknown.
24. Microchip/Registry “Release” Fees
You’re told the registry or chip company requires a premium fee to “unlock” ownership transfer.
Why it’s a scam: Fees are invented or inflated. The aim is to squeeze more once you’re committed.
25. Paid “Waitlist/Application” For Ghost Litters
You pay to join a list for an upcoming litter. The dates keep sliding, excuses pile up, and eventually the seller vanishes.
Why it’s a scam: It monetises your patience. There was never a planned litter.
26. Phishing “Applications” For Identity Data
Forms request scans of ID, full DOBs, addresses, and even bank info “to hold your kitten”.
Why it’s a scam: Your identity – not just your money is valuable. Data can be sold or used for fraud.
27. Friends-&-Family / Gift Card “To Avoid Fees”
The seller insists on PayPal Friends & Family, bank transfer, or gift cards, claiming business fees are too high.
Why it’s a scam: Those methods strip you of buyer protections and dispute rights by design.
28. Cloned / Typosquat Websites (URL Hyjacking)
A fake site copies a real breeder’s photos and text, or uses a near-identical domain name to catch typos.
Why it’s a scam: You believe you’re dealing with the genuine cattery while payments route to the impostor.
29. Fabricated Reviews & “Happy Family” Photos
The page shows glowing testimonials and album shots of owners with kittens, often stock images or AI-tweaked faces.
Why it’s a scam: Manufactured social proof lowers your guard. None of it is independently verifiable.
30. “Emergency At The Airport – Pay Now”
During supposed transit, a handler claims the kitten is held for sudden fees (border tax, crate upgrade).
You’re told paying immediately is the only way to prevent “return to sender”.
Why it’s a scam: Manufactured crises force snap payments. Real carriers don’t collect random fees via messaging apps.
Quick Guardrails Before Any Payment
- Confirm identity and location via live video with the kitten and dam in the breeder’s home.
- Verify registry membership and vet records directly with the organisations/clinics named.
- Use buyer-protected payments (e.g., PayPal Goods & Services, credit card). Never crypto, gift cards, or Friends & Family.
- Get a written contract naming the specific kitten and all costs; no vague “fees later”.
- Trust discomfort. If anything feels off, pause and verify, or walk away.
If You’ve Already Been Hooked
Gather every message, invoice, and screenshot. Contact your bank or card issuer for a dispute/chargeback. File a fraud report with local authorities and the platform that hosted the ad.
If registries or real breeders were impersonated, notify them so they can warn others.
