LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Social media may seem like the perfect place to post about a lost pet, but it also creates ideal conditions for you to get scammed.
Cybercriminals use the details in your post to contact you. They may claim to have your dog or cat, but hey won’t share a photo. Then, they demand money or gift cards for your pet’s safe return.
You can pay them, but you won’t get our pet, because it’s a scam.
Another variation involves fake pet-finding services. They offer to use search parties on the ground and drones in the air to track down your missing animal. It’s not free, and they’ll make you pay up front — usually through a peer-to-peer payment app. But again, they will not reunite you with your pet.
To avoid falling victim to a lost-pet scam, limit the information shared in social media posts. Withhold key identifying features that can be used to verify a caller’s claims.
Ask for a photo. No photo? There’s likely no pet either.
Never wire money or send pre-paid debit cards to anyone you don’t know. It’s the same as sending cash. And microchip and ID tag your dog or cat to make them easier to identify if they do get lost.
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