Attention, Miami-Dade dog owners! Animal services warns of citation collection scam
MIAMI - The Miami-Dade County Animal Services Department is alerting residents to a new scam targeting local dog owners.
Scammers are impersonating Animal Services representatives, calling individuals to claim they have outstanding citations that need immediate payment.
Authorities say that during the calls, the fraudsters request credit card information urging residents to pay "past-due" citations over the phone.
The caller ID may display as Animal Services from the number (305) 884-1101, but officials confirm that these calls are not from their department.
While Animal Services does issue citations for non-compliance with county pet regulations, it does not collect payments over the phone or make direct calls to debtors about outstanding fines.
All legitimate credit card payments must be made in person at Animal Services.
Miami-Dade Animal Services advises pet owners to verify any citation by visiting their online portal or calling 786-469-2900.
For additional details on paying pet citations or confirming citation status, visit MiamiDade.Gov/Animals.