Pet owners in Newport Beach California are being warned about a scammer who is impersonating animal control officers and demanding money for fake pet emergencies. The Newport Beach Police Department issued an alert after receiving multiple reports of fraudulent phone calls.
The scammer contacts pet owners by phone, falsely claiming their dog or cat was hit by a car. Posing as an employee of Newport Beach Animal Control, the caller demands immediate payment for the animal’s medical care. According to NBC Los Angeles, victims who received these calls confirmed the contact did not come from the legitimate Animal Control department.
The Newport Beach Police Department emphasized in a statement that neither the police department nor Animal Control will contact residents to request money or accept any kind of payment for legitimate services over the phone. If a pet is actually involved in a crash and taken to a veterinarian, animal control officers would inform pet owners so they can directly contact or visit the veterinary hospital…