Officials Warn Of Scammers Targeting People With Lost Pets

Officials Warn Of Scammers Targeting People With Lost Pets

Scammers claim to have found found lost pets in need of medical assistance.

he Minneapolis Animal Care & Control is warning people about a growing scam targeting owners of lost pets.

In the scam, phone calls and messages are sent out to distressed pet owners by someone claiming to be an animal control officer saying their pet is in need of emergency surgery. The scammer tells the pet owner to click on a link to wire them thousands of dollars to save the pet.

Director of the Minneapolis Animal Care & Control Tony Schendel said what makes the scam believable is the amount of money being requested and the claim an officer is on the line. Scammers ask for amounts around $1,500.

“(People) should know that Minneapolis Animal Care & Control will never contact a pet owner of a lost pet and ask them for money over the phone to reclaim their pet,” Schendel said.

Owners are required to come in to reclaim their pets, Schendel said.

Tanya Bailey, the Pet Away Worry & Stress (PAWS) coordinator, said these scammers are clever in picking vulnerable people who have disposable income.

“These scammers have already thought about this as somebody who, because they have a pet, (has) two things,” Bailey said. “One, they’re going to potentially have the amount of money that I’ll be able to get from them by scamming them. Two, for so many people, because their pet is part of their family just like any family member, we would go to any length to try to get them back, to help them heal.”

Second-year University student and pet owner Anamika Kansara said she would not know the right questions to ask if she did not know about the scam ahead of time.

“I would ask a lot of questions before forking over $1,500,” Kansara said. “I would say, ‘Well, what happened? How is she acting? Where did you find her? What vet are you at? Can you send me pictures? Or send me the bill or something like that.’ That’s knowing now that the scam exists.”

Kansara said pets bring companionship and hearing someone found their lost pet would give any pet owner a false sense of hope.

“I don’t know if I would have had the foresight to ask for the bill or photos of her before I learned about the scam,” Kansara said.

Schendel said if anyone is in doubt, reach out to the local jurisdiction in charge of the facility for information.

“Before they make payment, if they have a hesitation on it, reach out and become educated on it before they make it because otherwise, they’re likely going to provide a payment that they’ll never receive their animal from,” Schendel said.

The people who are falling victim to this scam are already emotionally distressed about losing their pet, they are less likely to question the good fortune of someone claiming to have found their pet, Bailey said.

“In this pet owner’s eyes, this person is the hero,” Bailey said. “They have found their pet. They found their loved one. Of course I’ll pay you $1,500 if you have my pet and you’re going to take it to the emergency room. Of course I will. So it’s such a betrayal when they find out that this has all just been a scam and how awful that would have to feel.”

SOURCE: THE MINNESOTA DAILY