Scammers pose as animal services, target grieving pet owners with fake emergency calls

By Ryan Arbogast

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    COLLIER COUNTY, Florida (WBBH) — Scammers are preying on heartbroken pet owners in Collier County, pretending to be from Collier Domestic Animal Services and demanding money for emergency surgeries.

“They claimed that they work for domestic animal services, and they were just letting me know that they found my dog. She had been hit. Wondering if she was going to survive,” said Emily Gann, a victim of the scam.

Collier DAS officials say while they have heard of pet-related scams before, this is one of the most aggressive ones they have seen. Staff members told Gulf Coast News on Monday that DAS will never call and ask for money or discuss injuries over the phone. If they find your lost pet, they will only notify you and ask you to come to their East Naples shelter in person.

“I’ve never seen my dog since then. It’s just like, why would somebody want to hurt you when it is such a vulnerable time?” said Gann.

The scammers have been spoofing the DAS phone number and targeting people who post about missing pets on social media, often contacting them on days when DAS is closed to the public, like Wednesdays. Numerous other victims have shared their stories on social media.

If you receive a call that could potentially be a scam, contact Collier County Domestic Animal Services on another line to ensure it is accurate.

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