‘It was so believable’: Unusual scam turns into threat, targets Louisville pet owner
By Madeline Carter
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LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (WLKY) — When Bethanie Bairen’s cat went missing, she put out a call for help on social media. But, instead of getting help, she became a target.
She said she posted on multiple sites Thursday, including Facebook and Nextdoor.
Then, while she and her husband were out looking for their pet, his phone rang.
“(The caller’s) like, ‘Yes, we have your cat. She’s been involved in a hit-and-run, and she lost a lot of blood,'” Bairen said. “That was like my worst fear come true. I was like, ‘Oh my God, she’s going to die.'”
The caller said they worked at All Pets Veterinary Center in Lyndon and that her cat required emergency surgery. Bairen said the number he called from was the same one listed for the vet.
“It was so believable,” she said.
But when the man asked for an immediate $700 payment only through an app like Zelle or Venmo, she had a gut feeling it was a scam. As it turns out, it was also a threat.
“Saying that if we did not give him his money that he would come shoot our house up, kill us and harm our cat, and that terrified me,” said Bairen.
The real veterinarian in Lyndon said she was horrified when she learned about the scammer posing as an employee at her clinic.
“We would never address a situation like that,” said Dr. Missy Jewell. “Our first concern is for the owner to make sure they understand that’s not happening.”
In the case of an emergency surgery, Jewell said her team will always ask pet owners to visit them in person, and they won’t ever demand payment through an app.
If you post online about a lost pet and get a call like this, she recommends hanging up right away and contacting the veterinary office they claim to be calling from directly. Then, report the scam to prevent others from falling victim.
Bairen called the police Thursday night. Just as officers arrived, her missing cat returned home without a scratch, about 12 hours after she went missing.
“Get all the facts before you give over your money,” she said.
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