Orange County Animal Services (OCAS) has warned Central Floridians about a vicious hoax that preys on pet owners who have lost their animals. False statements on the precarious conditions of pets have been made to pet owners by people posing as OCAS employees, according to Orlando Weekly.
After posting about her missing cat, Bella, on an internet forum, Valerie Fitzgerald, who works for United Paws Inc., a partner rescue organization that collaborates with OCAS, fell victim to one of these scams. Fitzgerald said in a statement, “The person on the other line said he was an OCAS employee and that Bella was in the shelter,” according to Orlando Weekly. In order to obtain an upfront payment of half the alleged $5,400 operation bill through payment platforms like Cash App, Venmo, or Zelle, the fraudster made up a narrative that Bella had been hit by a car and was paralyzed.
Despite the caller’s insistence on urgency, Fitzgerald’s suspicions led her to contact OCAS immediately, which validated her suspicions that the call was fraudulent. OCAS manager Diane Summers stressed that the shelter would never request payment in advance if it were to get in touch with a pet owner. Summers told Orlando Weekly, “The first thing we ask owners to do when we reach out to them about reclaiming a pet is to visit the shelter, not send money.”
Reiterating this upsetting story, WFTV revealed Fitzgerald’s memory of the con artist’s demand for quick payment, using the pet’s life as leverage. According to Fitzgerald, “He said he needed the payment immediately, or they would have to let Bella go.” Recognizing the predatory aspect of these frauds, Summers told WFTV that desperate pet owners may fail to see warning signs.
OCAS wants to reassure the public that they have never used mobile payment apps for their pet recovery process, which entails specified payments. Summers emphasized that anyone contacted regarding a lost pet must verify in person at the shelter. “Please visit our shelter in person to speak with our staff if someone is contacting you on behalf of our shelter and you have any doubts about the veracity of the information,” she suggested in remarks published by Orlando Weekly.
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