An animal charity has issued a warning to owners of lost pets in Birmingham after receiving several reports of fraudsters – claiming to be calling from the RSPCA or vets – asking for money.
On Wednesday (9th June), the RSPCA’s Birmingham Animal Hospital and Centre, at Newbrook Farm in Frankley Green, received five calls from distressed pet owners in just 24 hours.
All had received a scam call from someone falsely claiming to be from the charity and asking for payments for their missing pet. The scammers had even mirrored the centre’s phone number so the calls appeared to come from 0300 123 8585.
A charity spokesperson said: “A member of the public has been contacted by someone claiming to be an RSPCA officer. They’ve been told that their missing pet is at Newbrook Farm or at a local vets and they must pay £200 for life-saving surgery or their pet will be euthanised, or are asking for a fee in order for the pet to be returned.
“The fraudsters are mirroring our phone number […] which is particularly concerning.
“We believe that these people are scouring websites and social media to find missing pet posters and are targeting those owners who have offered financial rewards.
“It’s disgraceful that these scammers are preying on already distressed pet owners and we’re incredibly concerned that they may end up pocketing hundreds of pounds from owners who are desperately looking for their missing cats.”
The charity does not ask for money for veterinary care for missing pets over the phone in this way and would urge anyone who receives such a call not to give out their personal details.
“We’ve been contacted by five individuals who, thankfully, did not fall foul of the scam and contacted us to find out if we did in fact have their pet,” the spokesperson added.
The RSPCA advise:
- If you are contacted about a missing pet in RSPCA care, ask for a reference number and the officer’s name and call our national call centre on 0300 1234 999 (between 7am and 10pm).
- If you believe a call is not genuine, contact the police on 101.
- If your pet is missing please alert your microchip company and inform local rescue centres and vet practices as well as speaking to neighbours and local businesses.
- If you are using missing pet posters or sharing your pet’s details online please be aware that your phone number may be used by scammers and be incredibly careful when offering reward money or sharing any banking details over the phone.
To report a lost or found pet to B31 Voices, please visit b31.org.uk/lost-and-found/