The Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) has a warning for pet owners.
They say scammers have been calling pet owners, claiming they found their lost animal, and demanding payment over the phone.
Staff say the phone number appears to belong to a local animal shelter, making the call very convincing.
RASKC hasn’t been targeted yet, but they say several other shelters in the area have been.
If you’ve lost a pet, here are some things the shelter says to keep in mind:
You may receive a call from shelter staff if they find your lost pet— especially if it’s licensed or microchipped.
However, the shelter will not ask for any payment over the phone.
If you get a call and are unsure whether it’s a scam, you can hang up and dial the number of the shelter yourself.
RASKC lists all found pets on its website. You can check their listings here.
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