Minneapolis officials warn of greedy scammers preying on people trying to find their lost pets

People putting the word out about their lost pets are being preyed on and likely cheated out of large sums of money, Minneapolis city officials said Wednesday.

Minneapolis Animal Care and Control (MACC) said scammers are scouring lost-pet posters and websites, then contacting the owners with a story about being an animal control officer who has their missing four-legged companion and then claiming that a large veterinary bill needs to be paid for emergency surgery.

The perpetrators call or text, sometimes “spoofing” a city phone number, according to the agency. They send a link to wire money in an effort to steal thousands of dollars from worried pet owners.

MACC says it has received 30 reports of the scam so far, with likely dozens more that have gone unreported.

Scammers are asking for amounts around $1,500, which Schendel said seems like a realistic veterinary care bill.

https://www.startribune.com/minneapolis-officials-warn-of-scammers-preying-on-people-trying-to-find-their-lost-pets/601133025