Scammers targeting Louisville pet owners with fake medical emergencies for lost pets

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Scammers are posing as Louisville Metro Animal Services workers and demanding thousands of dollars for found pets.

Stephanie Jackson with LMAS said con artists are duping the shelter's phone number to make the calls feel more realistic.

Jackson also said there are some obvious red flags to watch for.

"We're not going to text you and threaten euthanasia for your pet for monetary payment here," Jackson said.

The scammers claim they're with Louisville Metro Animal Services, and that they have found a lost pet in need of emergency surgery. The caller then demands money to pay half of a fake medical bill, or else the animal will be put down.

LMAS believes the scammers are finding their victims' contact information on Lost and Found pet social media pages and flyers in neighborhoods.

LMAS says it will never request money over the phone. However, some people have fallen victim and shelled out $1,500 payments on Cash App and Zelle. They then get nothing in return.

"That's pretty disgusting," Jackson said. "Times are hard for so many people, so to prey on someone's vulnerability while they're clearly missing their pet and willing to, you know, go to the ends of the earth or drop, you know, $1,500 to save their cat or dog. It's a bummer because, you know, their cat or dog, it's, it's not here, and they're giving someone money and they still don't have their pet."

The shelter is now working with its IT department to address the phone number spoofing. Law enforcement is also involved.

If you’ve received a scam call or your pet is simply lost, LMAS officials say the best practice is to visit the shelter in person and fill out a lost pet report, or check the website for all found animals.

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Scammers targeting Louisville pet owners with fake medical emergencies for lost pets