Heartbroken pet owner duped by scammer in Henderson

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Mollie Baker is like most pet owners.

“This is him in the sink waiting for us to come in and brush our teeth so he can play in the water,” she says looking through pictures on her phone. “Goofiest thing there ever was.”

But three months ago, her cat Gus, went missing in their south Henderson neighborhood.

Baker and her fiancé put up posters.

Even listing Gus’s information with Paw Boost and Petco Love Lost.

Baker and her fiancé put up posters.

Even listing Gus’s information with Paw Boost and Petco Love Lost.

Then on Labor Day, they got a phone call, claiming Gus had been hit by a car.

“They said it would be $1300 for the surgery,” says Baker. “But they did financing and the down payment would be $700.”

The caller claimed to be with the Animal Assistance Foundation.

A third-party vet, they said, for the Animal Foundation.

“So, I asked if I could pick him up and they told me no,” she explains. “And that’s when it became clear that oh, this is a scam.”

Baker says she asked the caller to hold and immediately contacted the Animal Foundation.

The scammer hung up.

Hilarie Grey with the Foundation confirms that is NOT how the non-profit operates.

“No absolutely not, that's not what we're about,” says Grey. “If somebody’s cat came in and was microchipped, we would call them and let them know their animal was safe and what was happening. We would never call soliciting funds for life-saving care.”

Grey says the Animal Foundation has now filed a complaint with both the FBI and the Nevada Department of Consumer Affairs which tracks online and phone scams.

With hundreds of lost pets coming into their facility every week, Grey calls this case outrageous.

“Your emotions are high because you want to get your pet back. that is your love that is your family member,” says Grey. “When we saw this, we did nothing but feel for that woman to be taken advantage of in that way and that is just despicable.”

As for Baker, she believes the scammer used a spoofed phone number.

Intentionally changing the caller ID information to hide their identity.

“What you're doing is absolutely disgusting,” she says.

Meanwhile, she holds out hope.

Her 3-year-old cat is microchipped and was wearing a collar when he slipped out of the house.

That collar was found in the neighborhood.

“We’re just waiting and hoping for the best,” says Baker.

Then on Labor Day, they got a phone call, claiming Gus had been hit by a car.

“ They said it would be $1300 for the surgery,” says Baker. “But they did financing and the down payment would be $700.”

The caller claimed to be with the Animal Assistance Foundation.

A third-party vet, they said, for the Animal Foundation.

“So, I asked if I could pick him up and they told me no,” she explains. “And that’s when it became clear that oh, this is a scam.”

Baker says she asked the caller to hold and immediately contacted the Animal Foundation.

The scammer hung up.

Hilarie Grey with the Foundation confirms that is NOT how the non-profit operates.

“No absolutely not, that's not what we're about,” says Grey. “If somebody’s cat came in and was microchipped, we would call them and let them know their animal was safe and what was happening. We would never call soliciting funds for life-saving care.”

Grey says the Animal Foundation has now filed a complaint with both the FBI and the Nevada Department of Consumer Affairs which tracks online and phone scams.

With hundreds of lost pets coming into their facility every week, Grey calls this case outrageous.

“Your emotions are high because you want to get your pet back. that is your love that is your family member,” says Grey. “When we saw this, we did nothing but feel for that woman to be taken advantage of in that way and that is just despicable.”

As for Baker, she believes the scammer used a spoofed phone number.

Intentionally changing the caller ID information to hide their identity.

“What you're doing is absolutely disgusting,” she says.

Meanwhile, she holds out hope.

Her 3-year-old cat is microchipped and was wearing a collar when he slipped out of the house.

That collar was found in the neighborhood.

“We’re just waiting and hoping for the best,” says Baker.

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