Heartless Scam Preys on Iowa Pet Parents’ Love and Devotion

Some people are just straight up sick.

KCCI detailed a heartbreaking scam that is being pulled against loving pet owners.

Des Moines woman Krysta Franco had been separated from her beloved cat Charlie for just over a week when she received a call.

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Initially she believed that she was getting good news regarding her furry friend from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa.

However, she realized after the fact that it was most likely a scam. This caller who claimed to be from the ARL out of Des Moines said that they found Charlie, but he was hit by a car and needed emergency surgery ASAP.

The caller said that they needed a down payment of $2,400, so Franco sent all of her available funds ($500). After transferring over the money, she realized that Charlie was still missing and not at the ARL like she thought.

After several cases like this, the American Rescue League of Iowa had to issue a statement on social media.

Tips So You Don't Fall For this Scam

While we all love our pets and would easily jump to protect them from anything, these sorts of scammers are banking on that.

They are preying on these loving pet parents and expecting them to act first and think later.

So, the first thing that representatives from the American Rescue League of Iowa are encouraging you to do in this situation, is to pause and confirm some details.

In their social media statement, the ARL suggests verifying that the person contacting you is actually a representative from the organization. Look up the phone number online to see if the number that calls you correlates to the one on the website.

Also, it wouldn't hurt to check out websites that share information about lost or found pets.

At the very end of the organization's social media statement, the officials made one point abundantly clear.

Any reputable shelter will NOT ask you for any sort of payment upfront before giving you a chance to visit your pet.

Be smart, be careful, and remember to tread cautiously if you receive this sort of call.

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