Lacking pets: ‘Heartless’ scammers focusing on determined homeowners

Fraudsters are trawling misplaced pet boards and demanding ransom funds from homeowners determined for his or her secure return.

A BBC North West investigation discovered scammers have focused scores of canine and cat lovers with threatening calls.

They prey on homeowners by claiming to have their misplaced pets earlier than demanding money.

One sufferer, from Greater Manchester, stated a person claiming to have discovered her Yorkshire terrier needed £2,000 and stated she would by no means see her canine once more if she went to the police.

Detectives in Cumbria have additionally instructed the BBC they’re coping with claims from greater than 200 victims throughout the UK.

BBC News has spoken to a number of pet homeowners within the North West of England who’ve had comparable calls about their lacking dogs and cats.

Linda Tonge, 65, described Lulu’s disappearance of as “one of many worst issues that is ever occurred” to her.

She appealed for data on social media after her 12-year-old Yorkshire terrier vanished in a wooded space close to her home in Tyldesley, Greater Manchester.

Neighbours got here to her aide, however Linda’s desperation was shortly seized upon.

“I bought a name from a person who stated he’d discovered Lulu,” she stated. “I believed it was the decision I’d been ready for.”

Linda stated the person then “reeled her in” by describing Lulu’s look and shy manner.

“He then began speaking about money, he talked about £2,000 after which he got here all the way down to £1,000,” she stated.

“I stated you’ll be able to’t do this, it is in opposition to the regulation, you should give me my canine again.

“I instructed him I’d go to the police and he stated when you ring the police you will by no means see Lulu once more.”

Linda stated she needed to pay, however her daughter stepped in and suggested it was a rip-off name.

“I used to be so upset – it was terrible,” stated Linda. “It was simply an evil factor to do.”

After an intensive search, Lulu was ultimately discovered two days later, cowering in thick brambles.

“I used to be so relieved to get her again,” stated Linda. “She’s my child, she’s a part of the household.”

Emma Taylor, 40, from Wigan was contacted final February when she made an internet attraction about her lacking cat, Ziggy.

“Every week glided by after which we bought the cellphone name. This man simply stated, ‘I’ve bought Ziggy – I need £500’,” stated Emma.

“I stated I haven’t got that sort of money and his voice bought extra aggressive and he stated, ‘when you do not pay me £500 your cat’s gone’, at this level I used to be hysterical.”

Emma and her accomplice ignored the decision, however she was contacted the next week by one other man demanding a £1,000 cost for her cat’s return.

“I really feel so offended and upset that persons are doing this,” she stated.

Emma later gave an announcement to Cumbria Police for his or her nationwide investigation into pet rip-off calls.

Operation Facade has to date recognized greater than 200 victims and final yr one of many perpetrators was convicted of 9 counts of blackmail and one among theft.

Brandon Woolveridge, 24 and beforehand from Barrow-in-Furness, was jailed for 44 months.

Cumbria Police launched recordings of Woolveridge’s calls made by one among his victims.

In them, he might be heard telling one canine proprietor he would by no means see his pet once more and would use his canine for breeding.

Woolveridge threatened to shoot one other sufferer’s canine if the proprietor put the cellphone down and didn’t ship him £1,000.

“I used to be completely horrified by the offending on this case,” stated the officer main Operation Facade, Det Insp Amanda Sykes.

“I have not personally discovered offending of this nature in different elements of the nation earlier than,” she added, describing the perpetrators as “heartless”.

“Clearly all they’re after is the money – it is simply merciless,” Det Insp Sykes.

“It actually tugs on the heartstrings and it is actually affected all of the individuals concerned.”

Another sufferer, Holly, nonetheless lives with the reminiscence of the traumatic name she acquired after her American bulldog Chapo escaped from her backyard final yr.

Like lots of the pet homeowners the BBC has spoken with, the 31-year-old from Huddersfield appealed on social media for data and was quickly contacted by a person claiming to have her canine.

“I bought a name and it was a person with a Manchester accent saying he had my canine,” she stated. “I used to be over the moon.”

Holly stated the person quickly turned aggressive and demanded money.

“He stated if I switch him £500 he would tie him to a lamp publish in my space, and that if I did not pay him he would chop him up.”

She transferred the money however Chapo was discovered lifeless in a neighbour’s backyard after being hit by a automobile.

“It’s simply sickening what individuals do for money and the way heartless some individuals might be,” stated Holly.

Meanwhile Nathan, from Wigan, instructed how scammers threatened to shoot his canine if he didn’t pay £500.

After his timid Shih Tzu cross Lexi vanished a couple of yr in the past, Nathan acquired a name from a personal quantity.

He stated the referred to as instructed him: “I’ve bought Lexi. Give us 500 quid or I’ll shoot it.”

Nathan then stated he instructed the person “to ship me an image and he stated I needed to pay £50 for it so I bought his financial institution particulars and paid.

“He wasn’t telling the reality and I did not see the money once more. But while you’re determined, you will do something.”

Det Insp Sykes suggested pet homeowners to be “very cautious” when dealing with calls over lacking animals.

“Be very cautious about any data that you just give them and when you agree to fulfill them, agree to fulfill them in a public place and have any person with you.

“If you want to give reward money, please don’t give it till you’ve got sight of your a lot liked pet.”