Fraudsters Exploit Pet Owners in Indianapolis with Deceptive Tactics

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INDIANAPOLIS (WXIN) — A new scam has emerged, preying on the emotions of individuals searching for their missing pets.

Fraudsters are contacting pet owners, pretending to be from local animal shelters or humane societies. They falsely claim to have located the missing pet and request funds for veterinary expenses before the pet can be returned.

Local pet organizations have reported an increase in these deceptive calls, with scammers alleging to be associated with their groups.

Recently, a California animal shelter rescued nearly 100 small pets from a single home, highlighting the ongoing issues in the animal welfare sector.

“It’s happening in several instances, but I assure you, it’s not us,” stated Donna Casamento, CEO of IndyHumane.

One Nextdoor app user shared an experience of receiving a call from someone impersonating IndyHumane. The caller falsely claimed that her cat was found injured and required surgery, urging her to pay for the procedure. Sadly, this turned out to be a fraudulent attempt to exploit her distress over her lost pet.

IndyHumane says they would never do that.

“There are under no circumstances that IndyHumane would contact a pet owner and say you must give us money before we treat your animal,” Casamento said.

According to the Better Business Bureau, there’s been an increase in pet scams this year.

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has also received calls about the scam as well as calls about lost pets. While it’s hard to track down the scammers and arrest them, the police did offer tips on finding different ways to verify that the shelter has your pet.

Lt. William Carter with IMPD first suggests calling back the organization that the caller claims to be affiliated with but from a verified number to ask, “‘Hey, do you have my animal?’”

“When you call, just slow down and verify the information for anyone claiming they have the pet,” he says.

The IMPD also suggests never giving your pet’s microchip number over the phone. If an actual shelter or rescue has your pet, they should be able to provide you with the number first.

IndyHumane said they are frustrated with this new scam, especially because it targets pet owners who are already vulnerable.

“They are preying on these people who have lost their pet or searching for them and would do anything to get them back,” Casamento said. “That’s not appropriate for people to be taking advantage of our citizens in that way. It’s just not right.”