BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (828newsNOW) —
Trying to find a runaway animal is every pet owner’s nightmare. Now, scammers are making the process even worse.
Buncombe County officials are sounding the alarm after receiving “numerous” reports of scammers targeting owners of lost pets, according to an email from the county on Monday.
The county said scammers are “posing as individuals associated with the Buncombe County Animal Shelter or Animal Control” and contacting people by phone or text saying:
- That they are in possession of the lost animal
- That said animal has been injured and in need of immediate surgery
The scammers then do either of the following:
- Request a fee to reclaim the pet
- Request money for a “life-saving” surgery
- Ask owners to verify a code that they send by phone
Officials say the county’s Animal Shelter, Asheville Humane Society or Animal Control will never request a verification code or the transfer of money over a phone call.
“From our research, it seems that these scammers are obtaining contact information from NextDoor, lost and found pet websites, and local Facebook pages,” Buncombe County officials say in an email.
Anyone with questions or concerns about their lost pet should directly contact the Buncombe County Animal Shelter at (828) 250-6430. Postings of recently lost and recently found animals are also available HERE.