Missing pet posters are a familiar sight across Reno neighborhoods and on social media, but police are warning that scammers are now exploiting desperate pet owners with increasingly sophisticated tactics, including the use of artificial intelligence.
Reno resident, Tammy Rieken, said she received a call claiming her missing cat, Loulou, had been found. “When they first called, I was elated. I was so excited because she was found,” Rieken said.
Rieken said the situation quickly turned disturbing. She said scammers sent her a graphic photo that experts believe was most likely AI, claiming Loulou had been hit by a car and needed emergency surgery. “When he sent the picture and I saw her whole shoulder cut open, that was devastating,” she said.
AI scam targets Reno pet owners with fake images of missing pets to demand money
The caller claimed to be from Mountain View Animal Hospital and demanded thousands of dollars for treatment.
Police said scammers are using AI-generated images and local business names to make schemes appear more believable. “A very common factor with these scams is a lot of these scammers will try to tug on victims’ emotions,” RPD Public Information Officer, Hunter Mercurio said.
To better understand the image Rieken received, UNR journalism professor and AI researcher Paromita Pain analyzed it. Pain said what makes the case especially alarming is how realistic the photo appears.
“I started looking to see, is the hair looking funny? But in this picture, look how clever it is. The doctors have hair masks, hair nets, so there’s no need to render the hair,” Pain said.
Pain said many people assume obvious visual errors will expose fake images, but that is no longer always the case. “My best possible read is that this is a real veterinary surgery photo. The screenshots are real, but it can still be miscaptioned, taken from another source and used misleadingly,” she said.
Rieken said she was outraged by the alleged scam. “They’re monsters, I think it’s cruel to use an animal, somebody’s family to hurt them that way. It’s just not fair, they should be punished,” she said.
Police urged anyone who receives a suspicious call involving a pet, a loved one or an emergency situation to hang up and contact the business directly using a verified phone number. They also encouraged anyone targeted by similar scams to report them to local law enforcement.