From Buncombe County Government:
Numerous reports from owners of lost animals claim that scammers are targeting them for money. Scammers are posing as individuals associated with the Buncombe County Animal Shelter or Animal Control and contacting by phone or text saying:1) That they are in possession of the lost animal2) That said animal has been injured and in need of immediate surgeryThey are then either1) Requesting a fee to reclaim the pet2) Requesting money for the “life-saving” surgery3) Asking you to verify a code that they send to your phonePlease be advised that individuals from Buncombe County Animal Shelter, Asheville Humane Society, or Animal Control will never request the verification of a code or the transfer of money over the phone.From our research, it seems that these scammers are obtaining contact information from NextDoor, lost and found pet websites, and local Facebook pages. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your lost pet, please directly contact the Buncombe County Animal Shelter at (828) 250-6430.Postings of recently lost and recently found animals are also available at ashevillehumane.org.
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