Aby, a 20-month-old cat, was targeted by a man who posed as a veterinarian. The day after she disappeared, Mélaine received a call from a stranger who claimed to have found the animal.
He borrowed the identity of a real practitioner, Lucas Sanier, and the name of a clinic that exists. The account describes him as technical enough and empathetic enough to sustain the role.
The caller introduced himself as a veterinarian. He said he had recovered the injured cat and had just operated on her.
The scam consists of exploiting the distress of owners of missing animals. It has become common, according to the SPA of Lyon, which published a warning on its social media.
In this scheme, a so-called veterinarian calls and says he has found the injured animal. Payment must then be made as quickly as possible for treatment, up to 900 euros.
He later claimed to have found the animal. “I sense that he is very disoriented since he has been far from his owner,” he said, according to Mélaine’s account.
The sum was transferred. Nothing indicates, however, that the man had the animal: Aby was found in a garden three weeks later.
The method is not limited to fake veterinarians. Supposed mediums also contact owners on social media, promising to find their animal.
The SPA of Lyon urges vigilance against these solicitations, which rely on urgency and attachment to the missing companion.
In Aby’s case, the impersonation of a veterinarian’s name and of an existing clinic made the call credible, before the request for a transfer.