Dallas Animal Services Issues Scam Alert
A City of Dallas Digital Content Specialist issued a “Scam Alert” on behalf of Dallas Animal Services after receiving several complaints from residents who posted lost pets to PawBoost, a lost and found pet database. The complainants described receiving calls from individuals who claim to have found their lost pet, or claim to be members of the DAS team, indicating the animal would be returned after payment was made by the pet owner.
DAS posted the following message in an attempt to warn the owners of lost pets who posted on PawBoost of the potential scam:
“It has come to our attention that a telephone scammer is targeting residents of Dallas that post their lost pets to PawBoost. These individuals are posing as members of the DAS “Urgent Care Team” and claiming pets are at Dallas Animal Services, requiring expensive lifesaving surgery. They are demanding payment via CashApp. DAS does not use CashApp and there is no “Urgent Care Team” at DAS. Please note that Dallas Animal Services will never request payment over the phone. We do not withhold lifesaving care for injured found pets or charge owners for this care. If you receive such a call, do not provide any payment information. If you have been targeted, please file a report with Dallas Police Department and contact us at DASPIO@dallas.gov.”
Thanks for sharing this scam alert. It’s important to keep our pets safe and stay informed about these issues.