Lost-Pet Extortion on the Rise in Guelph

Owners of lost pets are urged to be cautious after a second report in the past week of an owner being extorted by someone claiming they had found the pet.

Thursday afternoon, a Guelph man called police. He said he had lost his cat and created posts online in an attempt to find it. He was then contacted by someone who claimed they found the cat and would return it for $300. The victim sent $50, then received an AI-generated photo of the cat and a further demand for payment. The victim declined and called police.

This was the second similar report in recent days. It is not known if they are related.

On Sunday, a Brantford woman contacted Guelph Police to report similar contact after she lost her dog. In that case the owner sent an e-transfer for $100 before contacting police after the scammer asked for more money. She later found the missing dog.

Police are concerned this scam could become more prevalent with advancements in AI technology. The owner of any lost pet should be extremely cautious if they receive such messages, even if they appear to be accompanied by a photo of their pet.

Anyone with information is asked to call Guelph Police at 519-824-1212, leave an anonymous message for Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or leave an anonymous tip online at www.csgw.tips.