Broward County

What to know as scammers targeting people looking for lost pets in Broward

At least two people who have lost pets and posted about it online said they received phone calls from someone claiming their pet had been found but was injured and desperately needed surgery

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A new scam is targeting people searching for lost pets by preying on their emotions, and a woman in Fort Lauderdale has already lost thousands of dollars in the scheme.

Scammers are posing as the Broward County Humane Society to take advantage of people desperate to find their lost pet.

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At least two people who have lost pets and posted about it online said they received phone calls from someone claiming their pet had been found but was injured and desperately needed surgery.

One women believed the scammer and paid $2,000 in hopes of being reunited with her pet cat, only to find out the cat hadn't been found.

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Another person, Yediera Leon of Fort Lauderdale, said he received a similar call about his lost dog, a black American Bully named Cachita.

"I got excited because I thought I’m going to get my dog back. I don’t care about paying for surgery as long as the dog is fine but they kept pushing about the surgery so I thought there was something weird about that," Leon said. "That’s a bad thing to do, play with people’s feelings like that.”

But in trying to figure out whether the caller really had his pet, Leon began questioning the person, and they eventually hung up on him.

“The guy started telling me she needed to have surgery within 20 minutes or she was going to pass away, so I was asking questions about the dog and I need to see my dog first to make sure it’s my dog," Leon said.

Leon said he posted about his missing dog on several social media sites with his phone number, and that's likely how the scammers found him.

He said the number they called from matched the Humane Society, which made it appear legitimate.

The Humane Society learned what was going on after receiving calls from the victims asking about their pets, and now they're spreading the word about the scam.

“Heartbreaking. The fact there are people out there that want to take advantage of people in a vulnerable situation, it’s really sad," said the Humane Society's Cherie Wachter.

They want people to be on guard and ask questions if someone calls claiming to have their pet, and said pet owners should hang up if someone asks for money.

"That should be the first red flag, if anybody is asking for money for your pet, do not respond. It’s a scam," said Wachter.

Wachter said similar scams have been tried at dog shelters in other parts of Florida. She added that if you're ever unsure, call the Humane Society to confirm.

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