Attempted scam targeted a pet owner
RUSSELLVILLE — A new scam targeting the owner of a missing pet was reported in Franklin County, and Sheriff Shannon Oliver described it as “sickening.”
One of Oliver’s deputies took the statement of a woman whose dog has been missing since April.
She claimed to have received a call at the end of May from a man identifying himself as an Alabama state trooper, who said the dog had been found and transported to animal control.
A follow-up phone call from another man supposedly revealed that the dog was hurt and needed a $3,000 surgery.
“It’s kind of a sad world we live in that people seem to try to focus on somebody that’s maybe desperate,” Oliver said. “It’s just kind of sickening that someone would prey on somebody’s grief like that.”
Luckily, Oliver said that despite the emotional distress that resulted from the calls, the woman recognized the signs and verified the calls were part of an attempted scam.
“We want to get this out there, so the public is aware of this going on,” Oliver said. “My advice to the public is, don’t send any money or provide any personal information until what you’re being told can be verified.”
Russellville Police Chief Chris Hargett and Oliver stressed that with apps, scammers can make it appear that a call is coming from any number — even one that appears official — making it very difficult for authorities to track calls.
Shannon Oliver
Neither official had heard any reports of other animal-focused scams.
They said the most common scam reported currently involves a caller who claims to be from a law enforcement agency.
The caller demands a fine be paid to prevent the arrest of the individual being contacted, or to have a supposedly arrested loved one released from jail.
“When people try to contact you … do your due diligence before … doing anything they are asking you to do to make sure that person is not a scammer,” Hargett said. “Try to verify they are who they say they are.”
Hargett said as a law enforcement agent, he would not be offended by a person saying they wanted to hang up and call back to verify the call came from the police department.
Oliver agreed. “If someone calls and says they are from the sheriff’s department or anything, I would definitely hang up, call back at the number for the department and check,” he said.
