‘They are preying on people’

An RSPCA spokesperson said, ‘We’re shocked and saddened that fraudsters are posing as our staff to prey on desperate people searching for their missing pets, and think it’s despicable that they’re conning them out of money.

We believe the conmen are scouring websites and social media to find missing-pet posters and targeting the owners who have offered financial rewards.

If you believe you’ve been targeted by these fraudsters, please report the incident to the police. We’re happy to assist the police in any investigations.’

Anyone who is contacted about a missing pet in RSPCA care should ask for a reference number and the officer’s name. They should then check it with the RSPCA call centre on 0300 1234 999 (from 7am to 10pm).