OPINION: Scammer is targeting owners of missing pets

Losing a pet is bad enough, but scammers are making it worse by trying to bilk worried Albuquerque pet owners.

Several people who posted information online about a missing pet have gotten calls during the past week saying their animal was found but that a payment of at least $1,500 was needed for emergency surgery.

Animal Humane New Mexico says the calls are coming from a “Dr. Silverspoon,” who demands banking or credit card information so the surgery can be done at Animal Humane’s donor-subsidized veterinary clinic.

The calls are bogus, spokeswoman Madison Beets says. Furthermore, there does not appear to be a veterinarian named Silverspoon anywhere in the state, she says.

“We know how frightening it is to think your beloved pet may be injured, especially when lost, and these scammers are preying on that fear,” says Val Wilson, executive director of Animal Humane. “We urge our community to stay vigilant, verify any suspicious calls, and contact us directly with concerns. Do not share personal or financial information.”

Beets says the scammers appear to be finding their targets through the website Pawboost.com, a free service that helps to reunite lost pets and owners.

Older adults at risk

It’s called the “phantom hacker scam,” and it’s the type of con that has caused a sharp rise in the number of older adults who have been robbed of $10,000 or more. A new analysis by the Federal Trade Commission shows a fourfold increase between 2020 and 2024 of people 60 and older losing that much money, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

“Reports … show a growing wave of scams aimed squarely at retirees’ life savings,” the FTC says. “While younger people report losing money to these imposters, too, reports of losses in the tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars are much more likely to be filed by older adults, and those numbers have soared.”

The culprit is the impersonation scam, which happens when a predator pretends to be a trusted business or government agency, for example.

The initiating email, text or phone call appears official — particularly if artificial intelligence is involved — and can be effective at persuading people to open their bank accounts or computers. The phantom hacker scam focuses on a made-up threat, such as a warning that the victim has been hacked or is otherwise vulnerable and must contact “tech support” to correct the problem. For example, a pop-up alert may say there is suspicious activity involving a bank account.

The scammers provide what they say is a solution, which could be directing the victim to download software or to move money into a “safe” third-party account. They might give ridiculous instructions such as moving large amounts of money to the Federal Reserve or another government agency, the FBI says.

Victims are told to transfer the money via cash, a wire transfer or cryptocurrency, and the transfer can involve multiple transactions over several days or months. Also, they are told not to tell anyone that they are moving their money.

Stay safe from these efforts by avoiding unsolicited popups or links sent by text or email. Do not be tempted to contact a provided phone number, and don’t agree to download software sent by a stranger.