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Your missing pet has been found, but there’s a catch: You need to pay an “emergency veterinary bill” before you can bring it home. That’s the kind of message a worried pet owner could believe in during a moment of distress — and it’s exactly what scammers are taking advantage of.
Fraudsters are taking photos from social media posts about missing pets and using artificial intelligence to generate realistic images that make it appear as though they’ve found the animals. Then, they contact the owners and demand money before revealing where their pets are supposedly being held.
But once the scammer has the money, they disappear, leaving you no closer to finding information about your missing pet.
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Coveron, an identity theft and scam protection service developed by Nord Security, showed just how easy it is to create this sort of scheme. In an alert this week, the company showed how they used a publicly available AI app to turn real pictures of a Beagle puppy into a fake image that showed the animal injured and receiving urgent care. In the text message, they ask for $765 in exchange for the location of the supposed clinic the puppy was held in.
The Federal Trade Commission warned consumers about these schemes in June, noting that scammers may impersonate animal hospitals or law enforcement and use manipulated media to convince pet owners their animals are in danger. In one case, an Arizona woman lost $1,300 after someone posing as a police officer claimed to have found her missing dog with a broken leg. The scammer sent an AI-generated photo resembling the animal and demanded money for veterinary treatment.
After sending the payment through Zelle, the woman was directed to an empty parking lot instead of being reunited with her dog.
“Not long ago, missing dog and cat posters went up on community bulletin boards,” said Tomas Sinicki, managing director at Coveron, in a press release. “These days, high-quality pet photos are posted in neighborhood, city and local community groups on social media. It’s an effective way to search for a lost pet, but it also hands criminals information they can use to extort money.”
How to avoid missing pet scams
If someone contacts you claiming to have found your missing pet, don’t rush to send money, even if they provide photos that appear convincing.
Coveron recommends carefully comparing any images you receive with existing photos of your pet, paying particular attention to distinctive markings and coat patterns. However, AI can replicate many identifying features, so a realistic-looking photo isn’t necessarily proof that someone has your animal.
If the person claims your pet is receiving treatment at a veterinary clinic, independently verify the clinic’s identity and contact it using a phone number you find yourself. Don’t rely solely on contact information provided by the person requesting payment.
Be particularly suspicious of anyone pressuring you to act immediately or refusing to provide additional proof. The FTC warns that demands for payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers or payment apps to cover supposed emergency veterinary treatment are signs of a scam.
Owners should also examine the social media profiles of people claiming to have found their pets. Newly created accounts with little personal information can be another warning sign.
Above all, verify someone’s claims before sending money. If you encounter a suspected lost pet scam, report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
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