Provincial police in Wellington County, Ont., have issued a warning after scammers tried to take advantage of a local resident who had lost their cat.
OPP say the man posted a photo of his beloved cat on social media and other websites in hopes of locating the missing feline.
The man soon received an email from someone who claimed to have found the pet, which also asked for $250 to return the cat.
When the man posted the plea for help, he included a photo of the animal and police say the scammer attempted to digitally alter the photo to make it seem like they were in possession of the cat.
This caused the man to become suspicious so he called police before he sent any money.
“While police were present and speaking with the resident, the lost cat thankfully returned home,” an OPP release said.
A police spokesperson told Global News that the case remains open and officers continue to search for the fraudster.
OPP are encouraging residents to remain alert and educated to reduce the risk of being made victim by scammers.
“If you receive an unsolicited email, phone call or message, asking for personal information (name, birthday, address, phone number, bank information, SIN number) or payment via gift cards for a product, do not provide any personal information,” police warn.
“End the call immediately and block the phone number or email address.”
There are a number of warning signs people can keep an eye out for when they receive unsolicited messages including weird timing, creating a false sense of urgency, spelling or punctuation errors or automated messages.
Police say residents should give the Little Black Book of Scams a read in order to further educate themselves.