TULSA, Okla. — FOX23 heard from Tulsa Animal Rescue about scammers pretending to be part of the organization and targeting people who adopted pets from the shelter.
TAW said this was scary because they wanted to help their pets, but owners should always double-check if the situation is suspicious.
“Last week, someone called me saying their animal was injured and they needed to send money through apps like PayPal or Zelle. It’s one of those things that never happens,” TAW manager Sherry Carrier said.
Carrier said one person received a call about a pet they had adopted. He claimed that he needed to pay for the surgery because the animal was injured and that he had been sent a code to pay through a mobile app.
“It's unfortunate because these are good people who are here to adopt the animals and remove them from the facility to save their own lives,” Carrier said.
Carrier said he has no idea who it is or why someone would pose as a shelter.
“If you have been victimized, please report it. Unfortunately, these people prey on people who are trying to acquire a new family member – a pet. They are innocent victims. These are people who want to help adopt and remove animals from our facilities, and that's what we want. This is an unfortunate situation where they become victims of crime. It's scary,” Carrier said.
The carrier said there was another scam a few months ago.
The carrier said if you suspect something is wrong, you can call to verify your identity, and you shouldn't pay with a code or app because you won't.
“It's unfortunate that something like this happened, and we want to let the public know that we're sorry that something like this happened and that it's not our fault,” Carrier said. he said.
Carrier said the fraud has not affected the shelter, but it is beyond capacity. TAW said animals still need forever homes, whether you want to adopt, volunteer or foster.
If you receive a call or suspicious message, please call the shelter at 918-596-8010 or the dispatch number at 918-596-8001 at any time.
Tulsa Police say if you fell victim to this scam or something like it, click here to file a police report.
