Accounts relaying messages about animals lost or found dead on the public highway are proliferating on social networks. If in most cases it is about associations such as Pattes en cavale or certified pages such as Pet Alert, fraudsters can also slip in among the various publications, especially on Facebook.
Spot by Le Télégramme, one of them depicts a puppy that has been the victim of a traffic accident. “I hit that puppy with my truck. He’s alive but he can’t hold on,” the post reads. “I took him to the vet. He’s not chipped. I know someone is looking for it. Please bump this post to help me find this owner.”
A picture from 2018
But the photo of the hunting dog was actually taken in the United States, in 2018, our colleagues show. The goal of the people behind these publications is therefore to deceive Internet users by luring them with animals in need. The fraudsters demand money to cover veterinary expenses from those concerned about the dog’s fate.
If Le Télégramme evokes posts circulating in Brittany, the ad in question has been spotted in many departments. Each time the author changes the municipality where the accident would have taken place. It is therefore necessary to be vigilant, especially when the syntax contains errors or when the text appears to be translated from English in an approximate way. As a general rule, you should not exchange your personal data or send money via social networks.
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