Buncombe County: Scammers Target Owners of Lost Pets

Buncombe County -- June 24, 2024: Buncombe County Government News: Numerous reports from owners of lost animals

claim that scammers are targeting them for money. Scammers are posing as individuals associated with the Buncombe County Animal Shelter or Animal Control and contacting by phone or text saying:

1) That they are in possession of the lost animal 2) That said animal has been injured and in need of immediate surgery They are then either 1) Requesting a fee to reclaim the pet 2) Requesting money for the “life-saving” surgery 3) Asking you to verify a code that they send to your phone Please be advised that individuals from Buncombe County Animal Shelter, Asheville Humane Society, or Animal Control will never request the verification of a code or the transfer of money over the phone. From our research, it seems that these scammers are obtaining contact information from NextDoor, lost and found pet websites, and local Facebook pages. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your lost pet, please directly contact the Buncombe County Animal Shelter at (828) 250-6430. Postings of recently lost and recently found animals are also available at www.ashevillehumane.org