Coloradans Told to Look Out for ‘Lost Pet’ Scam

Criminals in Colorado will seemingly go after anyone if it means a "quick buck." Here comes a scam being pulled on folks who have a lost dog or other pet.

All these people are trying to do is reach out to their local community to see if anyone has seen their pet; criminals are taking that innocent search and using it against those people.

As if it weren't hard enough, worrying/suffering over the pet, they also get scammed by con artists. Pets are family; to have them being used in a scam is reprehensible.

Colorado Pet Owners Being Scammed Over Lost Pets

It's terrible when you can't find your lost dog, cat, or whatever pet you may have that has wandered off. Your heart breaks, you fret about the "worst," and put a lot of blame on yourself.

In a lot of cases, though not as many as in years-passed, a person with a lost pet will put up a flyer, or post a message on Facebook in a neighborhood group, about the lost pet. That is what these criminals are hoping for.

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According to NoCo Humane, there is a scam going around where people who have posted about a lost pet are getting called by persons pretending to be with the Humane Society.

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The caller (the criminal) says that they have the pet and need the pet owner to "pay now' for immediate veterinary care before the pet can be picked up.

Imagine: You're feeling guilty because your pet's gone missing, then the Humane Society calls- they've found Fido, but he needs a shot or something that you need to pay for now, before yo can come get Fido. I can see many pet owners falling for this.

From NoCo Humane:

Please know that NOCO Humane will never request money from you over the phone, or through an electronic app, as a way for you to reunite with your pet.

Yes, there may be a fee of some sort, but that would be handled when you pick up Fido, in person; never over the phone.