Albufeira City Council has informed the Order of Veterinary Doctors that a scam is currently circulating, under the name of Albufeira Official Animal Collection Center.
Scammers send messages on behalf of the Albufeira Official Collection Center to people whose animals have gone missing, and who have posted about their disappearance on social media.
The scammers contact the victims, allegedly on behalf of the veterinarian at the Official Collection Center, stating that the animals need surgery, and asking them to make the payment via MBway or ATM, with the entity and reference.
The Order of Veterinary Doctors recommends that in any contact of this kind, "information should be requested about the location of the animal, subsequently verifying this by contacting these locations, using the public contacts of the alleged entities involved, to verify the the facts, alerting those involved that they should also keep a record of all communications and alert the authorities."
As current practice, the Order clarifies that vets ensure life support care for animals, making contact and requesting the presence of the animal's owner at the respective veterinary center, to define treatment, present a cost estimate and make the final decision by the animal's owner, with no request for payment over the phone or exchange of messages between veterinarian and pet owner.
Source https://www.algarveprimeiro.com/ - Photo courtesy of Depositphotos.com
