LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Getting a phone call from the Little Rock Animal Village isn't the most uncommon thing.
But never a call like this.
"This particular tactic is new and extra bold and frustrating," Little Rock Animal Shelter Spokesperson Betsy Robb said. "It is incredibly infuriating to see people be targeted specifically because they are in an emotionally vulnerable place, and it's cruel."
Robb said someone is calling pet owners and posing as the Little Rock Animal Village, scamming people out of money.
She said it's happened at least four times now.
"They're telling these owners that they must pay the reclaim fee immediately," Robb said. "I think sometimes they've even threatened that if they don't, they will be euthanized."
Robb said she wouldn't be surprised if more people were scammed and afraid to come forward.
In addition, she's frustrated because the scam is giving false hope to owners, making them think they're being reunited with their pets.
"She stopped at PetSmart on her way, getting what she needed to bring her baby home," Robb said, talking about one of the people scammed. "Then her baby wasn't here."
According to Robb, avoiding the scam is simple, but it can be challenging due to people's emotional attachment to their pets.
She said the scammers are asking for funds through apps like Cashapp, Zelle, Venmo, or money transfer kiosks, and the easiest way to verify if a call is real is by contacting the animal village.
"Those payment systems are a favorite of scammers for a reason, and it's a common red flag for scams," Robb said. "So, just always be vigilant, protect yourself."