The Lake Dallas Animal Shelter says scammers are disrupting their efforts to find animals loving homes.
The animal shelter in the small lakeside community is full of eager dogs and cats waiting for their forever home. Just not the ones you’ll see on the shelter’s most recent Facebook posts.
Lake Dallas police said someone hacked the shelter’s Facebook page on July 1, sharing pictures of adorable dogs with a link to a cash app to adopt. Police said it was all a scam.
“So [people] think it’s a legitimate post and they’ll click on the link and then they’ll make an adoption that’s not actually real,” said Lt. Connor Farrell with the Lake Dallas Police Department.
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Police warned the public on their own social media, but the fictitious posts continue. Investigators still do not know who is behind the hack. No one has filed a report claiming to have lost money, according to Farrell.
The hack has left shelter staff unable to promote the pets they do have or put out their regular call for food donations.
"It absolutely has interrupted that process," Lt. Farrell said.
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It comes as shelters across North Texas face overcrowding during the summer months.
Shelter staff and the police department hope people won’t fall victim or be discouraged to adopt.
“At this point, we’re just continuing to encourage the public to come in the shelter or call into the shelter to avoid any suspicious posts,” Lt. Farrell said.
