Scammers are using artificial intelligence to fabricate images of missing cats and dogs, then demanding money from distressed owners who believe their pets have been found. The scheme, documented by the BBC and tracked by Malwarebytes, turns public lost-pet appeals into a source of highly targeted extortion.
The fraudsters typically find a social-media post containing a pet’s photograph and the owner’s contact details. They then claim to have located the animal and send an AI-generated image designed to look like proof. In reported cases, scammers demanded rewards, gift cards or money for supposed emergency treatment, while refusing to arrange a handover until payment was made.
The emotional pressure can escalate quickly. The BBC reported that targets were threatened with the sale or killing of their pets after questioning the authenticity of the images or declining to pay. One reported demand reached £40,000, while another involved a request for a £200 Apple gift card. The fabricated photographs allow criminals to appear credible without ever having seen, let alone possessed, the missing animal.
Malwarebytes said users submitted several related attempts to its Scam Guard service in the past month, including messages claiming a missing cat had been found, a voicemail directing the recipient to call about a lost pet, and a caller impersonating a humane society while demanding successive Zelle payments for surgery. Those reports point to a broader playbook in which publicly available personal information, synthetic media and urgent payment demands are combined.
Owners can continue using social media to seek help, but should keep at least one distinctive identifying detail private and ask anyone claiming to have found the animal to provide it. A supposed finder should not receive money before the pet is independently verified, ideally through an in-person meeting in a safe public location. Veterinary claims should be checked by finding the clinic’s contact details independently rather than using numbers or payment links supplied in a message. Victims should preserve messages and payment instructions, report the account to the platform and contact local authorities; threats are not evidence that the scammer has the pet.
