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New scam in Dallas: Pet owners warned of fraudulent calls claiming lost pets need immediate surgery

Dallas, Texas – Dallas Animal Services (DAS) is alerting the neighborhood about new fraud targeting pet owners who have lost their animal pals. The notice relates to fraudulent behavior by people claiming to be a non-existing “Urgent Care Team” at DAS.

The fraud specifically targets those who register their missing pets on PawBoost, a well-known nationwide database used for lost and found pet reports. Acting as DAS officials, scammers call pet owners saying their animals have been located and are in serious condition needing quick, life-saving surgery. Then, via CashApp, they seek payment for these emergency surgeries.

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DAS has made clear that its workers would never request payments via CashApp or any other payment system over the phone and that it does not have a such team as the “Urgent Care Team”. DAS further emphasized that it does not withhold necessary medical care pending payment, assuring that all discovered animals in need get quick assistance regardless of cost.

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Anyone who answers such calls should not provide any kind of payment information and should immediately report the incident to the Dallas Police Department, the agency advises. To report the fraud, affected people are also advised to get in touch with DAS directly by their public information email, [email protected].

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This fraud attempts to discredit Dallas Animal Services in addition to taking advantage of the feelings of pet owners ready to see their missing animals. DAS reminds the community to stay alert against such misleading behavior since DAS is still dedicated to serve the community and its animals with transparency.

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