New scam targets Maryland pet owners

MARYLAND – Phone scams are on the rise, and locally, a new one is targeting families with missing pets.

Dr. Marianne Bailey with the Queenstown Veterinary Hospital says these scammers seek out lost pet ads and reach out to the owners via text, claiming to be a veterinary hospital that has found the lost pet. The text claims that the pet needs urgent medical treatment, and payment is required before treatment can begin. They often demand payment be made through money transfer apps such as Zelle, CashApp, Venmo, or PayPal.

“So a lot of people get that message and then they panic, they found my pet. There’s all these overwhelming emotions because you’re so excited they found your pet.”

And even though a text like this can bring overwhelming emotions, Dr. Bailey says it’s vital that you stop and think before responding or sending any money.

“No vet hospital is going to ask you for authorization to treat your pet with just a text message.”

If you get one of these texts, the first thing you should do is call that vet hospital and ask if they have your dog or cat. Dr. Bailey adds that if you’ve never submitted a payment to your vet’s office online, that should also be a red flag.

“It’s really unfortunate that people are preying on people that have lost their pets. You know, that’s like your must vulnerable time because you’re so desperate to get them back.”