Animal Rescue League says phone scam is targeting lost pet owners, impersonating organization

By Pepper Purpura

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    DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) — Eight days passed without any sign of Krysta Franco’s beloved cat Charlie, when her phone rang. Within moments, she had hope again that she may get her pet of 8 years back, only to learn that feeling was based on a lie.

On the other end of the line was what Franco says was a scammer. The caller told her they were from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa and had her cat, but he had been hit by a car and needed emergency surgery. To start the procedure, the caller said Franco needed to make a “down payment” of $2,400. The ploy convinced her to send all the money she had available, $500, through the payment transfer app Chime.

But Charlie was not at the ARL or in need of surgery, Franco later learned. She was also not the only person that received a call like this.

In a statement to KCCI, the ARL says the organization is aware of what it says is a scammer contacting people and is informing people of the warning signs of this scam:

“The ARL has recently received reports of a scammer claiming to be a representative of the ARL. The scammer had contacted the owner of a lost pet and falsely claimed that the pet had been found and needed urgent medical care. The scammer then asked for reimbursement for medical expenses to be sent to a third-party payment processor in order to reclaim their pet, which is something the ARL will never do.

“Unfortunately, scammers often prey on pet owners during these vulnerable moments. The ARL recommends the following to avoid being scammed:

If you are contacted by an organization claiming they have your lost pet. Verify that the person is truly a representative of the organization. Look up the organization’s contact info independently and call it directly to verify that what the caller is claiming is true.

All lost pets that arrive at the ARL are posted on two websites – PetcoLoveLost.org and IowaPetAlert.com – so it’s a good idea to double-check those sites. Remember, reputable shelters will never ask for any payment up front without giving you the opportunity to visit their facility and see your pet.”

Franco is also sharing her story to warn others. She says the caller was very detailed and had clearly seen posts she made to social media about her lost pet. She says the believability of the callers story, combined with her emotions led her to ignore red flags during the conversation.

“We were acting out of emotion versus the rationality of the situation,” Franco said. “Just to know he’s missing all over again is worse than when he left.”

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