Scammer Poses As Animal Control In Newport Beach Pet Owner Scheme

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.

This scam follows a similar pattern reported in Mission Viejo in December, where scammers threatened to withhold animals until medical costs were paid. The fraudsters typically request payment through Zelle or Venmo.

Crime Prevention Specialist Lisa Lebron Flores explained that scams like these deliberately create emotion and urgency to prompt quick responses without careful consideration. ”Scams target people to create emotion and stir up feelings to get a quick response, as seen in this scam, as well as the grandparent scam, outstanding warrant scam, and others that appear to necessitate quick payment and response,” she said.

Similar scams have been reported across the country, with some fraudsters using artificial intelligence to create convincing fake photos of injured pets. In a recent Florida case, scammers used AI to generate images of a missing dog supposedly being prepared for surgery, demanding payment by gift cards.

Authorities advise pet owners never to give personal information or make payments over the phone to unsolicited callers. Anyone who receives a suspicious call should hang up and contact their local animal control or humane society directly using a verified phone number.