Albert Lonzo Adams III (Credit: HCSO booking photo) A Hillsborough County man was arrested in an online fraud case that promised a puppy but instead scammed a victim in Cape Coral out of hundreds of dollars. The Cape Coral Police Department opened the investigation after receiving a complaint in January. The victim, believing she was communicating with a legitimate dog breeder, sent $575 via electronic transfer for a French bulldog. She provided extensive documentation of her communications with the supposed dog breeder, an “Albert Adams.” The scheme was elaborate, with the suspect pretending to be linked to a legitimate dog breeder, offering to fly the new pet down from Tampa, even sending pictures of himself flying a plane. The Cape Coral Police Department’s Financial Crimes Unit identified the suspect as Albert Lonzo Adams III, 50. Adams was already incarcerated in the Hillsborough County Jail on unrelated fraud charges. He was served with a warrant in jail for the Cape Coral investigation and faces charges of criminal use of personal identification information, unlawful use of a two-way communication device, and first-degree petit theft. Online puppy scams rose sharply in 2020, according to the Better Business Bureau. RESOURCES AKC: How to spot a puppy scam online American Humane: Beware of puppy scams The Humane Society of the United States: Internet pet scams International Pet and Animal Transportation Association: Current pet scams