Pedigreed puppies are worth big money, especially to cons running an international scam.

Now, the effort to protect consumers from a scam is picking up steam.

Joy Schick’s Yorkshire terrier Lord Fredrick was part of the family, but at 17 years old, he got sick and had to be put to sleep.

Schick decided to get a new puppy, but nixed her neighborhood pet shop.

“We just thought their prices were a little out of range. They wanted $3,000 for a Yorkie," said Schick.

Schick stumbled on a newspaper classified ad that offered a purebred Yorkshire for $400.

“I couldn’t believe my eyes,” said Schick.

There was no phone number listed, only an e-mail address.

Schick quickly started corresponding and made arrangements to buy the puppy.

She had no idea how close she was to falling prey to a growing scheme.

“Unfortunately, people looking for puppies have found themselves the victims of scams now,” said Sue McConnell of the Better Business Bureau.

The scammers post ads in newspapers or set up Web sites selling purebreds from out-of-state at discounted prices.

They generally only correspond through e-mail and ask buyers to wire money.

Once the funds are sent, the puppy is never delivered.

It has become such a problem that the BBB has issued a consumer alert.

Legitimate breeders like Sharon Pearson are also paying attention the developments.

“I found a bunch of my dogs' pictures that had been stolen off my Web site. I felt kind of vandalized, you know, that people were using my pictures to scam people for money,” said Pearson.

The American Kennel Club said there are warning signs consumers should look out for.

The club said fake breeders generally do not accept personal check and demand wired money.

They also said to be cautious when the breeders promise to deliver a puppy within 24 hours.

“The puppies have to be at least eight weeks old before they can send them to their new owner. So, anyone that says they have a variety of different breeds ready to go within 24 hours, it's highly unlikely there's an actual litter behind that,” said Lisa Peterson of the American Kennel Club.

The AKC also said to be wary of breeders who won’t speak on the phone and are offering deeply discounted prices.

It’s also important to ask for references, the club said.

“A reputable breeder will certainly want to give you the names of owners that have had a successful relationship with puppies she sold,” said Peterson.

Luckily, Schick did not end up paying for the puppy advertised in the newspaper.

The more she e-mailed, the more suspicious she became.

Schick contacted police and said they told her there had been other victims.

“I learned a long time ago, when something sounds too good to be true, most of the time it's not true,” said Schick.

So, Schick ended up buying her new love, Freddie, from a breeder close to home.

Freddie cost much more, but Schick said he’s worth every dime.

“We got Freddie for $1,250 and, of course, I would have paid double that. He's very loving,” said Schick.

For more information on how to avoid being caught up in a dog-buying scam or to find a breeder near you, visit the following Web sites:

American Kennel Club

Better Business Bureau Consumer Alert

Foxstone Maltese Breeders