Bill and Betty Norman were already frantic after their dog Sadie slipped out during a February winter storm and vanished near Eastway Drive. Then came the call every worried pet owner dreads: a stranger saying Sadie had been found, badly hurt, and needed emergency surgery right away.
The caller sent a photo of a dog and demanded more than $1,300, insisting Sadie would die without immediate payment. The Normans came close to paying, but decided to double-check with the shelter first. A few weeks later, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control located Sadie off Monroe Road and reunited her with her family, no surgery required.
As reported by WSOC-TV, the couple had posted Sadie’s photo online after she went missing, which they believe is how the scammer learned the dog’s name and their contact information. The caller claimed to represent the Humane Society of Charlotte, said Sadie had been hit by a car and needed immediate surgery, and tried to pressure the Normans by warning that the dog could die if they did not pay quickly, the station reports. WSOC's Action 9 reporter Jason Stoogenke spoke with the couple about the high-pressure pitch.
In a scam-alert post, the Humane Society of Charlotte, working with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control, warned that scammers often lift names, photos and details from lost-pet posts, then demand money for supposed “emergency surgery.” The advisory says HSC and CMACC will never ask for payment over the phone and recommends asking callers for a callback number and current photos before sending money. It also points owners to the Better Business Bureau’s guidance on similar scams and offers local resources for pet owners.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control has echoed the warning and told local media it will never take payment over the phone. The shelter says the only way to reclaim a missing animal is to come in person. Local station WCCB reports ACC asks anyone who gets a suspicious call to hang up and call 311 or (704) 336-7600 to reach the agency directly. Authorities also warn that scammers may "spoof" legitimate numbers to make calls appear local or official.
How the lost-pet scam works
Across the country, scammers are combing social media for posts about missing animals, then impersonating shelters or vets to create urgency and pressure owners into paying immediately, according to national coverage of the trend. AARP and pet-recovery guides warn that fraudsters may demand payment by wire transfer, gift cards or peer-to-peer apps and sometimes send doctored photos to make their story seem real. Organizations such as Petco Love Lost recommend saving some identifying details offline from public posts so owners can verify a finder’s claim.
Protecting your pet and your wallet
If you get a call about a found pet, the safest move is to pause and verify. Hang up, then call the shelter or vet using a phone number you find on an official website, not the one the caller provides. The FTC warns never to transfer money, buy gift cards or send cryptocurrency to strangers who insist on immediate payment, and the BBB Scam Tracker lets you report suspicious offers in your area. Other simple steps, such as asking for a current photo, requesting microchip or vet records and avoiding excessive personal details in public posts, can make a scam much harder to pull off.
If you think you have been targeted, contact Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control by calling 311 or (704) 336-7600, and reach the Humane Society of Charlotte’s Pet Help Center at 704-494-7718 for guidance. The Humane Society's post includes links to reporting resources and the BBB Scam Tracker for filing complaints. If you lost money, file a complaint with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and notify your bank.
