Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - The SPCA Serving Erie County has been made aware of a recent scam involving missing pets in Western New York.
With this scam, a caller dials the number listed on a missing pet flier and tells the pet owner they're calling from a local animal shelter. The scammer claims the pet was found and brought to their shelter, but the pet has been injured and needs immediate, life-saving surgery.
The caller then tells the pet owner that a down payment of several hundred dollars must be made in order for them to get their animal back after the surgery has been performed. The pet owner is then given the option to send the payment via Apple Pay, Venmo, Cash App, or PayPal.
One Buffalo resident was on the verge of being scammed on Monday until she visited the SPCA seeking help finding her missing cat. Fortunately, she sought help before sending any money.
If anyone has fallen victim to this scam, or a similar scam, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) recommends reporting fraud to the BBB Scam Tracker. To learn more about how you can prevent falling victim to a missing pet scam, please read the BBB's January 2022 article: BBB Scam Alert: Lost pet?
