Heartbroken Bay Area pet owner searching for lost dog says scammers used AI to try and extort money

OAKLAND, Calif. - A heartbroken pet owner, who has been desperately searching for her lost dog, said she was targeted by scammers who used artificial intelligence in an attempt to get her to pay for the return of her beloved French bulldog.  

What we know:

Alisa Harrell’s dog, Dash, disappeared on Jan. 13, as the pet owner was taking her trash bins to the curb in front of her North Oakland home in the area of 60th Street and Martin Luther King Jr Way.

"Walking back into the house he takes off as I’m walking up the stairs," Harrell recounted. "I run into the house to get his favorite toy that he is very possessive about that squeaks to get his attention for him to come back and there is no sign of him. I squeak and call his name he is nowhere to be found."

For the next few months, Harrell set out to find her missing pup, reaching out to various Bay Area SPCA locations and other animal care agencies as well as posting on multiple sites including the lost and found pet database PawBoost Alert.

But the efforts proved to be fruitless. The dog remained missing, and with each passing day, her hopes for Dash’s return dimmed – until last week, when she thought she'd be reunited with her pup.

On Wednesday, Harrell received a text from a person who claimed to have had her dog, described as being 2 years old and fawn and white in color. 

‘I found your dog’

"Good morning I found your dog," the person wrote in the text.

The message also included a photo of a French bulldog lying on a rug in someone's living room. It looked like Dash. His tongue hanging out of his mouth, with a bone and other dog items around him. 

"I guess this is your dog if I’m not mistaken," the person wrote.

"Tell me more," was Harrell response. 

"Here is the pic of your dog if I’m not mistaken," the person texted. "How do you want me to get it to you."

Overjoyed at the thought that her dog had been found, Harrell asked if the person could meet her that same day. 

The person responded by asking for money.

"Yes but have been the one taking care of your dog since I found it," the text response said. "You need to pay some $ to bring the dog to your address."

$300 payment

The person went on to write that the payment would be $300 and suggested Harrell send $150 now, and then pay the rest of the balance when she gets her dog back.

"I have been taking care of the dog since it got missing," the person reiterated.

At that point, all the dog owner wanted to do was get her pup back, so she texted back that she was willing to pay the $300.

"They wanted me to send $150 via Cash app, Zelle, Apple Pay. and the remaining $150 when they bring the dog," Harrell  detailed in an email correspondence with KTVU.  

But she stressed that she would not be paying anything until she had her dog.

She texted back, "I will NOT be sending any money of exchange, especially not knowing if in fact you still have my dog or if you have sincere intentions," she wrote. She then suggested making the meeting point for the exchange at a safe location at the Emeryville Police Department.

The person referred to the photo again, as he responded, "I have your dog with me it is safe and I’m really taking care of it."

The direction of the text correspondence made her suspicious. 

So she took to the neighborhood social media site NextDoor, where she reached out to her community for help.

She shared what had transpired along with the purported photo of her dog that had been sent to her.

"Could be a scam," she wrote, adding. "If anyone recognizes this person’s picture of my dog in their living room can you please reach out to me."

Community responds

The response from the NextDoor community was robust.

Many warned that the photo appeared to be AI generated.

"Alisa do you see the little curvy diamond in the lower right corner of the picture?  This might be a symbol put in by AI.  What a terrible scam….. just heartless," a Nextdoor user commented. 

The comment prompted Harrell to look closer at the image, and she determined that the photo was indeed created with artificial intelligence.

As she had widely circulated a photo of her dog in an effort to bring him home, the scammer apparently used the image to try and convince Harrell that they had Dash in their possession. 

Fake photo

"I’ve taken a closer look at the photo and I see AI written all over it. Thank you soo much for helping me pay attention to detail," Harrell responded in her NextDoor post.

Many expressed dismay and anger that a scammer would try and victimize someone in such a vulnerable state.

What they're saying:

"That's unfortunate. People are taking advantage of someone's weakness and love for their pet. Shame on them," an Oakland resident wrote on NextDoor. 

Another replied, "People are shameless. This is so sad. Why would you take the dog in and then charge... I'm sure a lot of us would be happy to accompany you to retrieve your dog."

Sophisticated tactics

Animal welfare experts said such scams are a serious and concerning issue. 

And given how sophisticated would-be criminals can get by using AI as a tool to create very realistic images, it’s made it easier for people to get tricked.

"Even before AI, similar scams existed, but AI has made them far more believable and scalable. Shelters and organizations say scammers are exploiting emotional distress and urgency to push victims into quick payments," Berkeley Humane Executive Director Jeffrey Zerwekh explained.

He noted that scammers are all over social media, combing through platforms like NextDoor and Facebook, specifically seeking posts about missing pets.

He said when they come upon such a post, the scammer will access the photo of the missing pet, use AI to create a "proof of life" image, sometimes depicting the animal as being injured or at a veterinary clinic.  

Scammers will then reach out to the desperate pet owner to say they have their animal and make an urgent demand for money, saying the payment would be needed for surgery for the lost and injured pet, for costs of boarding, or for just a "release fee."

"In many cases, the images look extremely convincing because they’re based on the owner’s original photos," Zerwekh explained, adding, "Authorities say this is happening across multiple states, often with scripted stories and similar fake images, sometimes tied to overseas operations."

The animal care expert said there are red flags people should look out for to avoid becoming a victim to such scams. 

"These scams tend to follow a pattern," according to Zerwekh who provided a list of warning signs to watch out for.

Red Flags: 

• Urgent payment demands ("your dog needs surgery right now")
• Requests via Zelle, Venmo, gift cards, or wire
• Claims you can’t see the pet in person yet
• Caller refuses to let you hang up or verify
• Messages from someone claiming to be a vet, shelter, or police officer
• Images that look real, but slightly "off" (lighting, anatomy, background)

If you are targeted, Zerwekh advised people to never send money without taking an extra step to verify the information they’re being told, like calling the vet or clinic where the animals is said to be. Make sure you conduct your independent search online to find the contact information and do not use the number you’re given, the animal care expert recommended. 

People should also ask for "live video proof" or require they be able to see the missing animal in person.

In addition, Zerwekh said you should limit what you post publicly and use trusted sites like local shelters and the SPCA to share your information. Avoid posting phone numbers, if possible, and opt to be reached through direct messages or by email. 

Consider also adding watermarks to images you share. 

The expert advised taking a beat and slowing down interaction with the person. "Scammers rely on panic," Zerwekh explained. "Take a moment to verify, even if it feels urgent."

What you can do:

In the event you are targeted, you should immediately cease communicating with the person and report the incident to your local police department or the Federal Trade Commission. 

He also said to take the extra step to warn others in your community about the scam, noting that as seen in Harrell’s case, NextDoor posts can be immensely helpful.

Harrell said once she realized it was a scam, she stopped responding to the person and there were no further attempts to contact her. 

She also did note that PawBoost did send her a notice that she included her phone number on a public posting through its platform and that could put her at risk of being scammed by a third party unrelated to the site. 

PawBoost, which is often described as an "Amber Alert for pets," told KTVU that, unfortunately, the experience Harrell had was not uncommon. 

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The site's experts also stressed never sending money without independent verification and advised asking detailed questions about your pet’s unique characteristics that aren't shared publicly. 

And as Harrell was, "Be cautious if someone refuses to meet in a public location or communicate through traceable methods," PawBoost noted. The site also recommended checking out its blogpost for more tips on how to prevent becoming a victim. 

The East Bay SPCA's website also has information on ways to safely reunite with a lost pet. 

"In our experience, the vast majority of people who find a missing pet and seek to find their family genuinely have the pet's best interest at heart. Sadly, scammers will prey upon the vulnerability of pet owners in a fragile state," shared Victoria Ivankic, a spokesperson for the East Bay SPCA.

French bulldogs 

Dig deeper:

There are extra concerns about the disappearance of Harrell's dog, given the breed. French bulldogs are widely considered the highest risk dog for theft. Their small size makes them easy to nab, and their resale value has been reported to range from $3,000 to $10,000.   

For Harrell, all she wants is her dog back.

Gift from her son

She said she’s been heartsick since her pup went missing.

"His personality is like no other," the dog owner shared. 

Dash, who turned 2 last month, has been a much-needed and extremely special presence, especially during a difficult time in her life. 

"Dash was a gift from my Son," she shared, noting he was given to her as she recovered from a life-threatening surgery. "He was gifted to lift my spirits and for comfort." 

Harrell wants her experience to serve as a cautionary tale to others and hopefully also help spread the word about her sweet Dash to help bring him home. 

"This journey has been so painful for me," she shared, saying that by telling her story, she hoped she could "someday be reunited with my beloved Pet."