Pets provide companionship, loyalty, and relief to human beings which has made these furry friends an essential part of life since the beginning of time. But while pets protect and comfort vulnerable people, scammers are using this bond to manipulate victims. These cruel con artists are now exploiting the emotional vulnerability of pet owners in the US, through a "lost pet phone scam." This disturbing ploy is used to squeeze out money for emergency surgeries that the scammers claim are necessary for pets supposedly in the care of local animal shelters.
The Bradshaw Animal Shelter in Sacramento recently issued a warning about this emerging scam, shedding light on the distressing tactics that scammers employ. Operating with sophistication, these criminals use techniques such as caller ID spoofing to make it appear as though the calls are originating from actual animal shelters.
Sergeant Amar Gandhi of the Sacramento County Sheriff's Office emphasized the scam's crafty nature by describing how scammers can replicate the phone number, so that when it pops up on caller ID, it looks as legitimate as can be. This level of manipulation makes it challenging for individuals to verify the authenticity of the calls.
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The scam follows a very common script for deception, which involves scammers falsely claiming that the victim's lost pet is in the custody of the shelter and requires immediate surgery. This alarming claim is soon followed by demands for money, in order to exploit the pet owner's concern for the beloved animal and the fear of losing the companion.
Jake Harris, a pet owner in Sacramento, expressed his dismay at the heartless exploitation of people's kindness by describing the tactic as awful. He frequents the dog park with his mastiff poodle mix, Rufus, and shared the pain of knowing that such scams target the deep emotional bonds people share with their pets.
Officials have stressed that legitimate animal shelters, including the Bradshaw Animal Shelter, will never request financial information over the phone. Pet owners have been told to exercise caution, report any suspicious activity to the sheriff's office non-emergency line at (916) 874-5115, and verify the legitimacy of calls directly with the shelters.
Similar incidents have been reported in the Bend area, where scammers posed as representatives of the Humane Society of Central Oregon. At least five pet owners received calls claiming their pets needed emergency surgery, with the scammers pressuring them to make payments over the phone. Sheila Miller, communications manager for the Bend Police Department, warned against falling for such scams and advised pet owners to verify information directly with local humane societies.
Such scams being discovered in multiple locations suggest that con artists may be pulling it off on a nationwide scale. Scammers often try to rush individuals, exploiting the vulnerability of those anxiously searching for their missing companions. The only way to deflect such scammers who prey on people in such difficult times is to avoid panic and proceed with clarity as well as caution to verify the authenticity of calls.
