SALINE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a unique online scam.

An elderly couple in Salina was interested in purchasing a puppy online and found a female Shih Tzu puppy named “Sophie” for sale for $500 on the website PerfectShihtzu.com, according to Salina Police Captain Mike Sweeney.

The couple contacted the website by email and were contacted several times between August 22nd and August 26th by a man that identified himself as “Henry Anderson”.

When the couple attempted to pay for the puppy using a credit card, “Anderson” told them the website did not accept credit cards.

Sweeney said the couple was instructed to send the $500 payment via Western Union to an address in Texas.

They were told that once the money was collected, the dog would be flown from Texas to Denver, Colorado and then to Salina.

After sending the payment, the couple was contacted on August 26th by a man with a middle eastern accent that identified himself as “Adam Karl” from Pet Express Transportation Services.

He informed the couple that the dog was still in Denver and would not be flown to Salina unless a $1,200 payment was made for flight insurance for the dog. The couple sent the payment and the dog never arrived.

Sweeney said his agency was notified of the scam by the couple on August 28th after the dog was not delivered.

Total loss in the case is listed at $1,700, according to Sweeney.