Scammers Try To Cash In On Lost Dog, Muskogee Woman Says

<p>A Muskogee woman claims a scammer is trying to cash in on her loss.&nbsp;</p>

Wednesday, July 18th 2018, 5:44 pm

By: News On 6


A Muskogee woman claims a scammer is trying to cash in on her loss.

She says the scammer is claiming they found her lost dog promising to give it back in exchange for money.

Shantel Garner's dog ran away while she was camping in June. Since then she said she has posted flyers all over town and online asking anyone who sees the dog to bring her back home. Shantel said that someone is using the information on those flyers to try and take her money.

After more than a month of searching for her 6-year-old teacup chihuahua, Garner finally thought she made a breakthrough. 

A man called saying he had her dog but she wasn't expecting what came next. 

"It was a gentleman, he never gave me his name. He never told me who it was," Garner said. 

"They wanted a Walmart gift card or cash," she said. "He basically told me that he had my dog, that I didn't care about my dog if I wouldn't send the money."

Garner said the man wanted $50 on a pre-paid money card. She refused.

"I wouldn't give anything to them without some kind of proof but they refused to send pictures. I mean they threatened to sell your animal to other people, they tell you that you are heartless and you never cared about your dog," Garner said. 

Garner said even though she didn't send him any money, the whole situation made her feel like she was losing her dog all over again. 

"It was like someone just took a Band-Aid and ripped it off," Garner said. 

When she posted her experience on Facebook, Garner said she couldn't believe how many people came forward with stories just like hers.

Now she is speaking out warning other families not to fall for what she calls a heartless scam. 

"Are you that desperate for money that you are willing to hurt somebody emotionally destroy them," Garner said. "Fifty or one hundred dollars are not worth the things that they are saying to people."

Police are warning people to hang up the phone on anyone asking you to pay with a pre-paid money card.

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