What would you do if you lost your pet? How would you try to find it?

In this story, one woman is in this situation, and she decides to post about her cat on multiple websites. Someone actually claims to have found her cat, so they agree on a time and place to meet up so she can get her cat back.

Everything seems fine until it’s time to get the cat. Then, the cat owner realizes this is probably a scam.

Keep reading for all the details.

Scammer claims they have my missing cat and demands money – enjoy spam!

So I posted on several websites about my missing cat.

I get a message from one on Pawboost saying they have him.

First I ask for photos and where they found him.

They respond with one photo of a grey cat in a towel.

But OP wanted another photo.

When I ask for a follow up pic of his tail (he has very subtle stripes on it), she says she is “stressed” and just wants to know when and where I can pick him up to confirm in-person.

I apologize about them being “stressed” (seriously? who’s too stressed to take a photo), then say I can meet them tomorrow (today).

We agree to meet up at 9am at a Starbucks nearby.

It seemed easy enough.

So, this morning at 5:13am, she says to text her when I’m on my way.

I message her back at 8:50am that I’m on my way there and that my husband and I will sit outside on the patio.

I have a cat carrier – aint no way she could miss me, right?

Nothing. I message again at 9:18am.

This is getting suspicious.

She’s a minute away and asks if there’s a reward. (not really, i’m broke af, but I ain’t telling her that.)

I don’t respond.

Already my alarmbells are going off; If I found someone’s cat I wouldn’t be asking for a reward and I didn’t put anything on the poster implying there would be one.

At 9:25, she sends me a “hello”.

This seems odd.

At 9:30, I respond “Where are you?”

She says, “I’m here already I just had to park a minute away how much is the reward?”

Immediately, I know she’s full of nonsense, because there’s tons of parking in that area.

So I call her out, “That doesn’t make any sense. There are plenty of parking spots. Are you trying to scam me?”

Now, she claims she wants her money back.

“Why should I all I need is what I spent”

Response doesn’t make any sense since she’s never mentioned anything about her spending money.

She claims she’s spent $40 so far and that her husband insisted she get money and says sorry it’s not a scam.

I ask to speak on the phone and what car she drives.

This really does seem like a scam.

Once again, she’s a minute away and wants $20 up front. (bad scamming, she didn’t even send me venmo or cashapp info, just kept saying to pay before we meet.

I say, “How can I give you money before I see the cat?”

For us both to be on a safe side that’s how I’ll like to go about it

I respond, “Ok. This is ridiculous. You said to meet at 9am. It’s an hour later. You said multiple times you were “60 seconds” away.”

OP wants proof.

“I am in my car once I receive the $20 part payment you get your cat and you pay me the rest”

Ugh. This is not how any of this works. These scammers are the worst.

“How do I know you actually have my cat? I’m not going to give you money before I see him. You’re lying to me. I’m going home.”

Then this witch sends me a photo of “proof” which a pic of some lady in a car with the top of a cardboard pet carrier. No cat in sight.

The scammer keeps making excuses.

“I’ve been in my car since all I want is the $20 at first you get your cat and you pay me the rest why should I lie having your pet I sent you a pic yesterday you could confirm”

“I don’t see my cat in that picture. This is bad proof.”

Your cat is in the carrier

Then, not even 30 seconds later.

You seem unserious I’ll leave in 3 minutes

Time to go.

The audacity! lol This witch thinks she can fool me. I’m already packing up at this point and getting in my car. If she was really there, she would’ve ran up trying to get money.

“Wow. You’re really still trying to mess with me. You haven’t sent any payment info. You seem like a bad scammer. I already left.”

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Should I send my cashapp now for the $20 and I am still you can always drive back

Witch realizes she’s messed up. lol

It was pretty mean.

“I don’t believe you have my cat. You already threatened to leave because you think I’m “unserious”. I don’t trust you anymore.

Jerk has to backpedal.

I am really sorry I can’t really continue to feed your pet just come here and get your cat

“You don’t have my cat. You won’t send me pictures. I already left. If you actually had my cat, you need to give better proof. It’s really mean for you to lie like this”

She thinks there are only two options.

And that’s the last response.

I knew there were scammers like this out there. I like to think I did my due diligence, but I’m still ticked off because I want my cat.

It’s either one of 2 scenarios. Either she has my cat and is holding him ransom OR she doesn’t have my cat and she’s totally full of garbage. I’m inclined to think the second one.

So many red flags with this mess.

That woman does not have the cat. I’m positive.

Let’s see if Reddit agrees.

This a suggestion for revenge.

Another person has a revenge suggestion.

Everyone seems to want to sign the scammer up for something.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a community who realizes their mistake after restricting parking to residents only gets guests and delivery drivers towed.

But this is the best suggestion.

All she wants is to get her cat back. It’s sad that scammers are going after people who are already upset about their missing pet. I mean, scammers are awful regardless, but it’s even worse to take advantage of someone who is already upset and to get their hopes up about getting their pet back only to steal their money.