Residents in Broward County who have lost their beloved pets are being targeted by a new heartless scam that preys on their vulnerability and desperation. Scammers, posing as representatives from the Humane Society of Broward County, have been contacting individuals who have posted about their lost animals on various platforms, including Ring, Nextdoor, Facebook, and Pawboost. As reported by Local 10, these fraudsters are leading pet owners to believe that their pets are at the shelter and require immediate financial assistance for emergency veterinary care.
One of the recent victims reached out via email on Monday night, seeking to visit her pet at the Broward County shelter. Cherie Wachter, who spoke to the victim, expressed dismay, saying "We contacted her this morning to let her know we do not have her pet and she was the victim of unscrupulous people trying to steal from vulnerable people," in a statement obtained by Local 10. Another victim was deceived by scammers and sent on a futile search, arriving at the shelter in person to look for his dog—only to discover it was a hoax.
The technique used by the fraudsters is known as "spoofing," where they manipulate the caller ID to appear as if the shelter is calling. They have asked victims to use payment services like Venmo or Zelle to send money. Wachter, a spokeswoman for the shelter, affirmed that the Humane Society would not ask for money over the phone for surgeries if a lost pet is brought in injured. She urges pet owners to offer a reward to only pay upon the safe return of their pet, as per the interview given to Local 10.
Providing a case in point, Yedier Leon, whose dog Cachita had been missing, found himself in the sights of these scammers. After posting flyers and appeals on social media, Leon received a call that appeared to come from the Humane Society, with the callers claiming his dog required urgent surgery. "When they called me, I was willing to pay the money," Leon said. "I just wanted to see my dog. I wanted to make sure my dog was alive," he told CBS News Miami. His encounter ended when the scammers hung up after Leon began asking questions and he quickly discovered at the society's location that he, too, had been targeted by the scam.
Victims of this scam are being urged to report any suspicious calls to law enforcement. Wachter emphasized the organization's protocol, stating the Humane Society "never requests money over the phone." Another pet owner, who unwittingly lost $2,000 to the scam, reported the fraud to the police, but she chose not to be identified, as mentioned by CBS News Miami.
