Colorado animal shelters warn of scam targeting distraught owners of missing pets
Animal shelters across Colorado are warning people about a scam that targets distraught families with missing pets. According to the Denver Animal Shelter, several people have come to the location asking about their missing pet after receiving a disturbing phone call.
The people claimed they received a call about their missing pet and were told the pet was injured after being struck by a car and needed medical treatment. The owner of the missing pet was asked for a $500 deposit before for emergency life-saving surgery could begin. That money was to be paid via credit card over the phone.
Denver Animal Shelter told CBS News Colorado's Kennedy Cook that they are not contacting owners of missing pets and will only take payments in person, not over the phone.
"We've seen the pet scam going back a few months now. Every couple of weeks someone would come in and say their animal is having an emergency surgery with us and they were told they needed to pay a large sum of money via Venmo with the phone or credit card for us to take the deposit and perform the surgery here... is not something Denver Animal Shelter would do," said Jaret Manke.
The scam also impacts other shelters in the Denver metro area. The Dumb Friends League Buddy Center in Castle Rock said scammers used their location to ask pet owners for $1300. In the caller ID, scam victims said the call came from the Buddy Center.
Animal shelters recommend that if you lose a dog or cat, post only on reputable lost pet community sites, and use only your first name and contact information. Also, continuously check area animal shelter websites for lost pets, which are updated hourly. Post lost pet signs in your neighborhood. Also, to make it easier to return lost pets home, make sure they're licensed, are wearing an ID tag and are microchipped.
And they said if someone calls to say they have your pet at a shelter and they demand money, hang up and call the shelter yourself to verify.