Scammers are convincing pet owners that their missing pet has been found, but requires critical medical care, and fool them into sending money.

They scour social media to find neighbors who have lost their pets. Using the number provided on a post or flyer, they spoof their number, making it look like the call is coming from the Maryland Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) and posing as shelter staff.

The impostor then demands immediate payment for costly medical procedures through third-party websites and apps, such as CashApp, Venmo, and PayPal.

While the shelters use online payment methods, they never request payment over the phone.

"A bad man robbed Dad"

Travis, who spoke to WJZ under an alias, says his cat went missing in April. He received a call from who he thought was the Maryland SPCA, saying his cat, Numa, needed emergency surgery.

"I wanted it to make sense," Travis said. "I wanted to have her back. They found my cat. She got hit by a car. She's immobile. She needs surgery, and so they asked for basically a deposit through Zelle."

Travis said he was pressured to pay up by the caller, who threatened not to start the medical treatment until payment was received. He was devastated when he realized he had been scammed.

"I told my kid that we found the cat. So, I had to go home and tell her that a bad man robbed Dad," Travis said.

Travis tried calling the shelter before paying.

Despite growing suspicious, Travis paid the scammer, driving from more than two hours away to the shelter. His friends continued calling the Maryland SPCA, and when they got through, the shelter said it had never heard of the fake staff member.

Growing number of pet owners scammed

The Maryland SPCA and the Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter (BARCS), another Baltimore-based animal shelter, say this is part of a nationwide scam where callers pose as shelter staff, convincing vulnerable pet owners their pets are not only found, but in need of treatment.

Both shelters say asking for money over the phone is a red flag. They also say if you feel pressured to pay, ask more questions to ensure you're talking to a legitimate shelter.

"It will be in person," said Nichole Miller, the director of operations for The Maryland SPCA. "We're not going to ask for emergency money over the phone or by email."

Pet shelters say this scam comes in waves. Maryland SPCA says it has four pet owners who have fallen victim to this scam since Friday.

BARCS says it first became aware of this ploy in October. More than a dozen people fell victim to the scam in the Baltimore area in the fall, according to the shelter. Now, more calls are popping up again.

The best way to make sure you don't fall victim is to call the organization yourself.

"Find that number and call them back and talk to them about that pet," Miller said. "I think that would be the best thing because then you're sure you know who you're talking to."

If you've gotten a suspicious call, the best thing to do is to report it to the police, inform the shelter, and create a report through the . The shelters encourage pet owners to stay vigilant and spread the word so more people are aware that these fake calls are being made.

"That was our grocery money"

Out of privacy concerns, Travis is not saying how much money he paid the scammer, but says it was hundreds of dollars, which is enough to hurt his family.

"That was our grocery money, you know," Travis said. "And obviously, I would have happily acquiesced. If I had gotten my cat back, I would have figured it out and paid these people back. But now, I don't have a cat, and I have to borrow money for groceries."

Travis says he filed a police report with his local department and is disputing the charge with his bank, but he isn't sure if he will get his money back. Meanwhile, his cat, Numa, is still missing.

Tara Lynch is an Emmy-nominated reporter who is excited to share the stories of Baltimore.