South Snohomish County Crime Watch Hot Sheet: SCAMS – Scammers Pretend to be from the Everett Animal Shelter

Fraudsters have been prolific in the number of scams that they perpetrate on innocent citizens. AARP lists 83 on their Fraud Watch Network website. And fraudsters come up with new scams every day, often following the news about the latest natural disaster or law/regulation change which they can use to steal money from unsuspecting victims.

Myeverettnews.com published a press release from the Everett Animal Shelter this week about another new scam- lost pet scam. The animal shelter says that it has received numerous reports of someone pretending to be from the animal shelter calling pet owners who have posted notices on social media about their lost pet. The scammer tells the pet owner that their pet is at the Everett Animal Shelter and asks for payment over the phone collecting credit card information for the supposed payment. The scammer even spoofs the Everett Animal Shelter main phone line, lending credibility to the call. The animal shelter says the pet owner shows up to pick up their pet only to find that their pet was never in their care and that real animal shelter personnel did not call them.

By pretending to be from a legitimate animal care organization the scammer develops credibility with the pet owner. They present a quick solution to a problem that the pet owner has been trying to solve. If you have lost your pet, you are naturally emotional and concerned for your pet, so it does not take much pressure to pay over the phone then go to the real shelter to pick up your pet.

The Everett Animal Shelter points out that-

· They do not collect lost pet reclaim fees over the phone (unless there are special circumstances). They collect their fees when you come, in person, to the shelter to pick up your pet.

· They list all lost/stray animals in their care on their website at- https://www.everettwa.gov/171/Lost-and-Found-Pets?fbclid=IwAR0AdYrqwpqDM8sjytlOjLiozrmp4wFPYoVJgq_26AcNU8qoWutyBkiJNqE. They recommend that if you have posted about your lost pet and receive a call asking for phone payment for its recovery that you check this link before paying anything. Also, hang up the phone and call the Everett Animal Shelter at (425) 257-6000.

New scams like this can be difficult to evaluate, especially if they seem to help solve a problem that concerns you so much. The 5”P’s” can help you evaluate phone calls, texts, emails, or ads for being genuine or fake.

The 5”P’s” include:

Pretend- Scammers pretend to be someone they are not. This can be someone who claims to be in authority and recognizable to you.

Verify their authenticity. Ask yourself, is this person, email, text, etc. really from the organization they say they are?
Call their agency using the agency's phone number that you found on a web search or a document from the agency.

Problem- The scammer will claim that you have a problem that you need to solve, and they have the solution to solve it. Or
Prize- The scammer tells you that you have a prize owed to you or available to you that has come out of nowhere.
Pressure- Scammers put pressure on you to act right away or else there will be dire consequences if you don’t act right now.

They try to get you emotional so that you are not thinking logically.
If the scammer is making you emotional hang up, ask advice of a friend or family member.
Check out the scammers story by not using any phone numbers or links provided by the scammer. Find the contact information by a separate web search.

· You Pay- Scammers will pressure you to pay, “it’s easier, faster,” or it’s the only way, and they will want payment with methods that make it impossible for you to recover your money such as gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.