‘A new low’: Scammers use AI of lost pets to target King County, WA owners

KING COUNTY, Wash. - Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) issued an urgent warning to owners of lost pets after scammers reached a disturbing "new low," using artificial intelligence to extort money from families desperate to find their missing animals.

"This new generative AI photo thing is a new one on us. A new wrinkle, and a new low," said Cameron Satterfield, with King County Department of Executive Services.

The Fourth of July is historically the busiest time of the year for animal shelters, as loud fireworks routinely send panicked pets running from their homes. But this year, those grieving families are facing a cruel, high-tech threat.

What they're saying:

RASKC officials said scammers are now tracking down phone numbers listed on missing pet flyers, pretending to be shelter staff. Thieves claim the lost pet was found but requires emergency surgery. To make the lie convincing, they send fake, AI-generated images of an animal undergoing surgery.

"We were actually approached by a resident of King County [who] came into the shelter and said that he had gotten this text from somebody that showed pictures of a cat that was in surgery, and that they demanded immediate payment," said Satterfield.

Satterfield noted that while traditional lost-pet scams are common, the integration of realistic AI imagery is an alarming escalation.

"I mean, it looked real," said Satterfield. "People are using these tools in nefarious ways."

Exploiting high emotions

RASKC said the scammers use the realistic, fabricated photos to induce panic and demand immediate digital payments of hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars via text or payment apps.

Fortunately, the residents who brought the texts to RASKC's attention did not fall for the trap, choosing to verify the claim with the shelter in-person first. However, officials recognize how easily a frantic pet owner could be deceived.

"When you’ve got a missing pet, your emotions are high," Satterfield explained. "You want to get them back home, you want to do what you can so that they are treated and well."

To protect the community from falling victim to these heartless schemes, RASKC wants to make its operational policies clear: No legitimate animal shelter or organization will ever contact you to demand immediate payment for an injured pet.

"This is a scam. This is not legitimate," Satterfield emphasized. " No legitimate shelter or organization is ever going to ask you for money by text or voicemail or anything like that."

What you can do:

If you receive a suspicious message regarding your missing pet, do not send money, wire funds, or provide bank details. Instead, officials advise you to go through official channels to verify if your pet has been found:

• Check online: Visit the official registry at kingcounty.gov/LostAPet to look through reports of found animals.
• Visit in person: Walk through the stray kennels at the RASKC shelter, located at 21615 64th Ave. S. in Kent. The shelter is open weekdays from noon to 6 p.m. and weekends from noon to 5 p.m.

If you suspect you have been targeted by an AI pet scammer, report the communication to local law enforcement or King County authorities immediately.

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