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Scammers have been taking advantage of how much people love animals. They’ll steal and manipulate pet images, videos, and even use AI-generated deepfakes to help them trick you into giving them your money or personal information. Fortunately, there are ways to help you detect and avoid these kinds of scams:

  • Scammers pretend to be law enforcement or an animal hospital, claiming to have your pet who’s had an emergency. They might have seen a flyer for a missing pet, or know from social media that you’re away from home. They might even use AI to create fake photos or videos of your pet in distress. But it’s all a lie. If someone says the only way to pay for your pet’s treatment is with a gift card, a payment app, cryptocurrency, or a wire transfer service, you’re dealing with a scammer.  
  • Scammers impersonate real animal shelters and hospitals collecting donations for pets in need. They might create fake webpages and posts using stolen or AI-generated images of pets in need of forever homes. If someone asks you to donate, check ftc.gov/charity for advice on how to donate safely. And, as part of your research, do a reverse image search to see if the images are stolen.
  • Scammers want you to think you won a prize because you previously donated to help animals. The name of the prize or organization might sound real but it’s another lie. If you have to pay to collect a prize or sweepstakes winnings, you know it’s a scam.

Don’t let scammers rush you into making a decision. Slow down and talk to someone you trust. And if you spot one of these scams, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

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