It can be devastating for owners when a pet is missing. Now, scammers are using the vulnerability of owners during those times to make a buck.
Lyddia Crayton said that her aunt’s dog, Mia, a 3-year-old poodle mix got loose in Oakland Sunday.
After posting about her being missing, a call came through to Crayton in Antioch on Monday.
“They said that she was brought in by a good Samaritan,” she said.
The phone number appeared it was from the city-run shelter. The caller said they had an injured Mia, Crayton’s aunt’s dog.
“They would have to do an open procedure and we would have to pay a deposit in order for them to start the procedure in order for her to start the procedure,” she said.
Crayton said she knew something was off about all this, but it was when they asked her to send payment via apps. That was a tall tale sign it was a scam.
“He’s like well when you get the chance to get any money you can either Venmo, Cash App or Paypal and that right there was a red flag for me,” she said.
Crayton added that the red flags also included this suspicious invoice sent, refusing to send photos of Mia or checking her microchip number.
Crayton said calling on a holiday when she couldn’t get a hold of the shelter, also felt wrong.
The scammer later texted to her the following:
“If you don’t want to be a responsible pet owner then just say that.”
Trying to play on the family’s desperation to find their pet.
“They’re super vulnerable right then,” said Virginia Donohue, executive director at San Francisco Animal Care and Control.
Donohue said earlier this week, someone phoned them, wanting answers about their missing pet.
“Fortunately, they called us to check. We didn’t have the animal and we can assure you that your local shelter even if they have your animal is not going to call you over the phone and ask you for money,” she said.
No money was exchanged in Crayton’s case.
“As I was talking to him, telling him everything, he hung up on my face,” she said.
Crayton added that what the scammer also didn’t know is that she works in the pet grooming industry and volunteers at shelters.
